Google has said it would hurt consumers and businesses if it were forced to sell Chrome, the world’s popular web browser.

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) will propose the measure to a judge on Wednesday, Bloomberg has reported that.

Judge Amit Mehta ruled that Google operates an online search monopoly in August and has been considering what actions or penalties to impose.

The DOJ has not commented on the report – but Google has made it clear that it is a proposal it opposes.

“The DoJ continues to pursue a radical agenda that goes far beyond the legal issues in this case,” Google Chief Executive Officer Lee-Anne Mulholland said in a statement.

Google will also reportedly be asked to establish new measures around its artificial intelligence, Android operating system and use of data.

“For the government to tip the scales in these ways would hurt consumers, developers and American technology leadership at the very moment it’s needed most,” Mulholland added.

Chrome is the most used browser in the world – with web traffic tracker Similarweb placing its global market share at 64.61% in October.

Meanwhile, Google’s search corner has nearly 90% of the global search engine market in October, according to Stat counter.

It is the default engine in Chrome as well as in many smartphone browsers, including Safari on iPhones.

Judge Mehta said in his ruling in August that the default search engine was “extremely valuable real estate” for Google.

“Even if a new entrant would be positioned from a quality standpoint to offer the standard when an agreement expires, such a company would only be able to compete if it was prepared to pay partners upwards of billions of dollars in revenue share,” he wrote.

The DOJ had been expected to give its final proposed remedies to the court by Wednesday.

It said in an October filing documenting initial proposals that it would consider trying to break up Google.

Potential measures “that would prevent Google from using products like Chrome, Play (its app store) and Android in favor of Google Search and Google’s search-related products” were among its considerations, it said at the time.

Google has previously denied having a monopoly on online search.

In response to the DOJ’s filing in October, Google said “Parting off” parts of their business like Chrome or Android would “break them”.

“Breaking them would change their business models, raise the cost of devices and undermine Android and Google Play in their fierce competition with Apple’s iPhone and App Store,” the company said.

It also said it would make it harder to keep Chrome secure.

Revenue from Google’s search and advertising businesses rose 10% to $65.9 billion, according to the company’s latest quarterly results.

CEO Sundar Pichai said the company’s AI search tool for were now available to millions of users.

Investors have been keeping an eye on Google’s share price on Tuesday, following reports of the DOJ’s proposed action.