The 90s’ browser wars are repeating and Google is bankrolling the battle

The search giant is funding the Browser Choice Alliance (BCA), an industry group involving Google and smaller browser makers

A quarter of a century ago, when Microsoft used its dominance of the personal computer market to force people to use Internet Explorer, it famously led to a devastating antitrust lawsuit loss that some believe held the company back for more than a decade. Only now, revitalised by Chief Executive Officer Satya Nadella’s quick moves in artificial intelligence, is the Windows-maker back on top. As AI rivalries intensify, Google is now trying to put Microsoft through its ’90s nightmare again.

The new “Browser War” is brewing thanks to the desktop or laptop’s position as one of the biggest early battlegrounds in AI. (Representative file photo)