Google CEO Sundar Pichai acknowledged in a new interview that the company will be tied up in court for “years” as it tries to avoid being clamped down on in two federal antitrust cases that target its business model.
U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta ruled in August that Google controls 90 percent of the market share in online search, casting the company as an illegal monopoly.
The case is currently in the relief stage, with Judge Mehta expected to decide on the punishment by next summer.
When asked about the judge's ruling in the next episode Bloomberg's “The David Rubenstein Show: Peer-to-Peer Conversations.” “We firmly oppose the ruling but are still working on remedies,” Pichai said.
“We intend to appeal, but this process will likely take years,” Pichai added.
Meanwhile, Google is currently fighting a separate lawsuit against the Department of Justice, alleging that the company operates a “trinity monopoly” by controlling the digital advertising platform used by advertisers and publishers and the online marketplace that connects them. It will likely be several months before Judge Leonie Brinkema issues a decision on that case.
“Where we can find constructive solutions, we will do so,” Pichai said.
“If we believe there is a genuine negative impact on our ability to innovate for our users, we will do everything in our power to protect ourselves,” Pichai added. “That will take time to become clear.”
Several Wall Street analysts have already warned that Google is unlikely to emerge from its antitrust clashes unscathed, with one analyst telling clients that the company faces a period of “great uncertainty” in the near future.
The company's critics say antitrust enforcement is essential to prevent Google from further strengthening its monopoly as it pours resources into artificial intelligence and other fast-growing technologies.
Pichai has downplayed the risks, saying regulatory scrutiny is inevitable given the company's size.
He noted that a recent European Union court decision overturning a $1.7 billion fine against the company took nearly 10 years to resolve.
Google shares were flat in morning trading Wednesday.
In either case, the federal government is expected to pursue a break-up of Google's empire, potentially upending a company that made more than $307 billion in revenue last year.
Google has denied any wrongdoing, arguing that it faces stiff competition and that customers use its products because of their quality.
The company is set to face a new headache in the European Union, where regulators are reportedly planning to warn Google that it needs to change its search business practices or face heavy fines under the bloc's digital markets law.
