Google Admits Rapid Open Web Decline Amid DOJ Ad Tech Breakup

Google has made a notable admission in a court filing revealing that the open web, particularly open-web display advertising, is experiencing a rapid decline driven by emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, Connected TV, and retail media advertising. This decline is evidenced by a drop in open-web display ad impressions from over 40% in 2019 to 11% in early 2025, according to Google's internal data. The company argues that forced divestitures of its advertising technology tools such as AdX and DFP, as proposed by the U.S. Department of Justice, would accelerate this decline and harm publishers who depend on these revenues. Google maintains that the shifts in digital advertising are natural market evolutions rather than consequences of its monopolistic practices, cautioning against judicial intervention that could disrupt the current advertising ecosystem. However, critics highlight the contradiction between Google's public statements about the web's vitality and its legal acknowledgment of its decline, noting Google's dominant role in shaping the web and its monetization. The DOJ's proposed remedies aim to prevent Google from leveraging its control over the ad tech stack to rig auctions and suppress publisher revenues, including potential divestitures and requirements for open-sourcing auction code to foster transparency and competition.