Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Google and its parent Alphabet, acknowledged in an interview that deals Google struck to be the default search engine on browsers were "very valuable." Pichai said the deals enabled Google to run its search business and helped it become a discovery tool beyond just web searches. When asked if Google pays for default search engine placement, Pichai did not comment on specific commercial arrangements but said partnerships help Google improve its products while also benefiting consumers and other companies. Pichai's comments come as Google faces multiple antitrust lawsuits and investigations over its search business, including allegations that exclusive contracts with device makers and browsers are anti-competitive.