Kagi's blog post argues that Google's search monopoly, cemented by a 2024 U.S. court ruling, now controls the foundational index for AI development. With 90% market share, Google's infrastructure acts as a gatekeeper, stifling competition and innovation in both search and AI, as other companies cannot build comparable web indexes.

The startup has tried licensing directly from major index providers like Google and Bing but failed. Google offers no public API except through ad syndication, while Microsoft retired its Bing Search API. Kagi now uses third-party providers for results, a temporary fix awaiting legal remedies that could mandate open access on fair terms.

The DOJ's proposed remedies, outlined in late 2025, aim to force Google to syndicate search results and share index data with competitors without ad bundling. If enforced, this could level the playing field, allowing alternative search services like Kagi to innovate and offer users an ad-free, choice-driven experience.