True. It is pure luck that Rupert Murdoch or Larry Ellison etc didn't end up owning search.

That said Google shifted priorities from Search to Empire Defense many many years ago. And that has had many unintended "evil" consequences on Society well documented by Tristan Harris, Tim Wu, Jaron Lanier et al.

Could they have avoided that path of empire defense, as they grew in size and survived, I don't think so. Few companies or empires have. The golden age of Greeks or Persians or Indians would have lasted much longer if they knew how to defend their empires.

Now that they have successfully survived and own the market and have cash in the bank, what they do with their empire is going to be interesting. Reviving a golden age takes vision not just empire defense.