EU Launches Antitrust Probe Into Google's AI Training Practices and Content Usage

EU launches antitrust probe into Google's AI search tools

Even as Big Tech and American tech elites criticize how the European Union is implementing rules to regulate tech and AI on the continent, the bloc isn't letting competition concerns slide. The European Commission has launched an investigation into whether Google may have breached EU's competition laws by using content from websites without compensating owners to generate answers for its AI summaries that appear above search results. The EC also will look at how AI summaries use videos from YouTube to generate answers. The investigation will examine if Google is harming competition in the AI market by granting itself access to websites' content, and imposing "unfair terms and conditions on publishers and content creators." "The Commission will investigate to what extent the generation of AI Overviews and AI Mode by Google is based on web publishers' content without appropriate compensation for that, and without the possibility for publishers to refuse without losing access to Google Search," the bloc's executive arm wrote in a statement. Google's AI Overview and AI Mode are the two chief products being investigated here, and the EC highlights that the tech giant doesn't leave websites or content producers with much choice since it directs a majority of web traffic, doesn't pay them for using their content, and doesn't allow YouTube uploads if you don't let Google use that data. The EU is also concerned over the fact that Google doesn't allow rival AI companies to use YouTube content to train their own AI models. The investigation comes at a time when companies developing AI models and content are being sued for copyright infringement by publishers and websites. AI search tool Perplexity, for one, has been sued by several outlets, including the New York Times, The Chicago Tribune, News Corp, New York Post, Merriam-Webster, Nikkei, and Reddit. The EU's investigation differs, however, because in many cases, these media companies are suing as a way to negotiate content-licensing deals with AI firms in hopes of compensating creators and being paid for their content. The EU is seeking to level the playing field for AI companies that compete with Google, which according to some reports, benefits from its reach by being able to train its AI models on much more of the internet than its rivals. Under consistent and widespread criticism of its AI regulation, however, the EU is considering simplifying its AI rules, and has proposed to delay the implementation of rules for the use of AI in high-risk applications. Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Google Zero is under investigation by the EU

Google is under investigation by the European Union over concerns that it breached competition rules by imposing restrictions on web publishers and YouTube creators to gain an unfair advantage over other AI companies. Concerns outlined by the European Commission include using content from web publishers for features like AI Overviews and AI Mode in Search, and feeding YouTube content into Google's generative AI models -- all while failing to provide "appropriate compensation" or the ability to refuse such use of their content. These concerns are tied to the existential threat of "Google Zero" -- the moment in which Google Search no longer refers users to third-party sites, thereby starving them of traffic and revenue.

EU launches Google antitrust probe over AI training

Brussels probes whether unpaid web and YouTube content - and rivals' lock-outs - amount to abuse of dominance The European Commission is launching an antitrust probe at Google for allegedly using web and YouTube content to train its AI algorithms while putting competitors at a disadvantage. According to the Commission, Google may be using content published on the web to fuel its AI Overviews and AI Mode without appropriate compensation to its sources, and without offering publishers an option to refuse inclusion of their content. As for YouTube content, the Commission said it's similarly worried that Google is using user uploads to train its AI models without appropriate compensation or an option to refuse, noting that content creators "have an obligation to grant Google permission to use their data for... training generative AI models" without any remuneration for their use in that regard. At the same time, the EC said, Google has banned AI rivals from using YouTube content to train their own models, allegedly giving it a competitive advantage. "The investigation will notably examine whether Google is distorting competition by imposing unfair terms and conditions on publishers and content creators, or by granting itself privileged access to such content," the Commission said in a statement. "If proven, the practices under investigation may breach EU competition rules that prohibit the abuse of a dominant position." Google disagrees, arguing in the same manner as other US tech giants targeted by Europe's strict competition rules that the Commission's move will put the brakes on innovation. "This complaint risks stifling innovation in a market that is more competitive than ever," a Google spokesperson told The Register. "Europeans deserve to benefit from the latest technologies and we will continue to work closely with the news and creative industries as they transition to the AI era." Google further explained how it believes it's acting correctly under EU law, telling us that its Google-Extended crawler token gives publishers control over what its bots can crawl, and reiterating that it respects robots.txt directives. That said, crawlers have been known to behave badly when facing directives from websites, and restricting Google bots from indexing websites can have a direct effect on search rankings - one of the very things the Commission expressed concerns about in today's antitrust investigation announcement. As for YouTube content, Google told The Register that it's been working with creators to protect their businesses through its likeness detection tool that flags creators when their image is being used in AI-generated content. We note that doesn't address any of the EU's concerns that content creators aren't being given the option to avoid having their videos ingested to train Google AI. This antitrust investigation comes less than a week after the EC opened another into Meta related to AI restrictions. In that case, EU regulators are investigating changes to the company's WhatsApp messaging platform that banned rival AI chatbots. The move has led to both ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot from exiting WhatsApp, while Meta's own AI remains available. Meta defended itself by calling the EC's claims "baseless," saying that the change was made because WhatsApp wasn't built to handle the load placed on it by the presence of multiple AI chatbots accessing the platform via a single API. ®

Google facing a new antitrust probe in Europe over content it uses for AI

LONDON (AP) -- Google faces fresh antitrust scrutiny from European Union regulators, who opened an investigation Tuesday into the company's use of online content for its artificial intelligence models and services. The European Commission, which is the 27-nation bloc's top antitrust enforcer, said it's examining whether Google has breached competition rules through its use of content from web publishers as well as material uploaded to YouTube for AI purposes. Regulators are concerned that Google has given itself an unfair advantage by using content for two search services, AI Overviews and AI Mode, without paying publishers or letting them opt out. AI Overviews automatically generates summaries that appear at the top of its traditional search results, while AI Mode provides chatbot-style answers to search queries. They're also examining whether Google uses videos uploaded to YouTube under similar conditions to train its generative AI models, while shutting out rival AI model developers. "This complaint risks stifling innovation in a market that is more competitive than ever," Google said in statement. "Europeans deserve to benefit from the latest technologies and we will continue to work closely with the news and creative industries as they transition to the AI era." The Commission, which is the bloc's executive arm, is carrying out the investigation under the EU's longstanding competition regulations, rather than its newer Digital Markets Act that was was drawn up to prevent Big Tech companies from monopolizing online markets. "AI is bringing remarkable innovation and many benefits for people and businesses across Europe, but this progress cannot come at the expense of the principles at the heart of our societies," Teresa Ribera, the commission's vice president overseeing competition affairs, said in a statement. "This is why we are investigating whether Google may have imposed unfair terms and conditions on publishers and content creators, while placing rival AI models developers at a disadvantage, in breach of EU competition rules." Brussels has no deadline to wrap up the case, which could result in sanctions including a fine worth up to 10% of the company's annual global revenue.

EU opens antitrust investigation into Google's AI practices

Google is no stranger to scrutiny from government bodies such as the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), and the European Commission. Now it can add another probe to its list: The European Commission has opened an antitrust investigation into the company surrounding the content used for its AI tools. Namely, the Commission is looking into two things, starting with whether Google used web publisher's content for its AI Overview and AI Mode services -- without "appropriate compensation" or the option to "refuse" the use of their materials. "The Commission will investigate to what extent the generation of AI Overviews and AI Mode by Google is based on web publishers' content without appropriate compensation for that, and without the possibility for publishers to refuse without losing access to Google Search," the EU executive body stated in its announcement. "Indeed, many publishers depend on Google Search for user traffic, and they do not want to risk losing access to it." The second prong of the Commission's investigation similarly looks into Google's potential misuse surrounding AI. It's digging into whether Google has used content uploaded to YouTube for training its generative AI models. As in the first case, the Commission "is concerned" that YouTube creators are not receiving proper compensation or the option to opt out of Google using their content. In it's overview of the investigation, the Commission noted that creators have to allow Google to use their data in return for uploading media on YouTube. It added that Google's rival AI developers are unable to use any YouTube content for training their models. "AI is bringing remarkable innovation and many benefits for people and businesses across Europe, but this progress cannot come at the expense of the principles at the heart of our societies," Teresa Ribera, EVP for clean, just and competitive transition at the European Commission, said in a statement. "This is why we are investigating whether Google may have imposed unfair terms and conditions on publishers and content creators, while placing rival AI models developers at a disadvantage, in breach of EU competition rules." A Google spokesperson told Engadget that the investigation "risks stifling innovation in a market that is more competitive than ever. Europeans deserve to benefit from the latest technologies and we will continue to work closely with the news and creative industries as they transition to the AI era."

Google hit with EU antitrust investigation over use of online content for AI

The European Commission said it was investigating whether Google had breached EU competition rules by using the content of web publishers, as well as content uploaded on the online video-sharing platform YouTube, for AI purposes. Google was on Tuesday hit with an EU antitrust investigation over its use of online content for AI purposes, marking the latest in a series of crackdowns from the bloc on regulating U.S. big tech companies. The European Commission said it was investigating whether Google had breached EU competition rules by using the content of web publishers, as well as content uploaded on the online video-sharing platform YouTube, for AI purposes. "AI is bringing remarkable innovation and many benefits for people and businesses across Europe, but this progress cannot come at the expense of the principles at the heart of our societies," said the bloc's commissioner for competition Teresa Ribera. "This is why we are investigating whether Google may have imposed unfair terms and conditions on publishers and content creators, while placing rival AI models developers at a disadvantage, in breach of EU competition rules."

EU investigates Google over AI-generated summaries in search results

A Google spokesperson said the probe "risks stifling innovation in a market that is more competitive than ever". "Europeans deserve to benefit from the latest technologies and we will continue to work closely with the news and creative industries as they transition to the AI era," they said. The EU's investigation will also cover Google's AI Mode, which gives people an answer in a conversational style with some links to other pages. It is in addition to the tech giant's existing search platform - providing an experience similar to its rivals such as ChatGPT. Google's introduction of its AI Overview summaries was met with concerns it could result in fewer visitors to websites. Without people clicking on web pages, sites generate less money from advertising. The Daily Mail previously claimed the number of people who clicked its links from Google search results fell by around 50% since Google introduced its AI Overview feature. The Commission said it was concerned both web publishers and YouTube video creators were not being compensated or given the opportunity to opt-out of their content being used to train the company's AI models. Ed Newton-Rex from AI fairness campaigners Fairly Trained said it was "career suicide" for people to not publish their work on YouTube or online. He told the BBC Google "essentially makes it a condition" of online publishing that the firm can "use your work to build AI that competes with you". "This investigation could not come at a more critical time for creators around the world," he said.

The EU is investigating how Google scaped the web to build AI tools

Google's various AI tools have been proving their worth as of late, but a common criticism is how Google has built these tools by scraping the work of publishers and creators across the web without explicit permission or compensation, and now the EU is launching an investigation into the matter. The European Commission this week announced that it has opened a "formal antitrust investigation" into how Google has built its AI tools, namely around how Google may or may not have given itself "privileged access" to online content that its AI rivals lack, and also around how Google's scraping of the web has affected publishers and creators. There are two key things the EU is looking at here in terms of how Google's actions affect content on the web, including how Google has used the content of web publishers, as well as videos uploaded to YouTube. For the former, the announcement mentions how Google does not allow publishers to opt out of having their content used in Google's AI search tools without opting out of Google Search entirely - a death knell to any website. As for YouTube, the EU similarly seems to take issue with creators not being able to opt out of their videos being used for AI training without wider impacts. The Commission explains: It's unclear what the outcome may be here, but it's noted that if Google is found to be "distorting competition" through its actions, that it "may breach EU competition rules that prohibit the abuse of a dominant position."

Google AI Overviews sparks antitrust probe for using publisher content

Credit: Thomas Fuller / SOPA Images / LightRocket via Getty Images Google is facing a European Union investigation into its use of publishers' online content for AI-generated search summaries like AI Overviews and AI Mode, with anticompetitive practices the primary suspicion. Announced on Tuesday, the EU's main executive body, the European Commission, opened a formal antitrust probe into Google's practice of using online publishers' material for AI purposes -- and that includes the company's use of content uploaded to YouTube. According to the EU, the investigation will examine "whether Google is distorting competition by imposing unfair terms and conditions on publishers and content creators, or by granting itself privileged access to such content, thereby placing developers of rival AI models at a disadvantage." Specifically, the EU will dig into Google's AI-powered, generative search summary tools AI Overviews and AI Mode, and whether the company used web publisher content for these tools "without appropriate compensation to publishers and without offering them the possibility to refuse such use of their content." Since Google launched AI Overviews in May 2024, researchers have found websites including news and media outlets have seen a devastating impact on site traffic. In July 2025, Google also launched AI Mode, a more conversational AI-generated search results aggregator. A Pew Research Center study from July 2025 found users are less likely to click on links when an AI summary appears in the results, with users more likely to end their browsing session. This impact on news sites has been colossal. As Cecily Mauran reports for Mashable, "Organic search traffic from major news sites including the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and The Washington Post has declined according to SimilarWeb data. And smaller, independent sites say the rollout of AI Overviews has forced them to shut down their sites or entirely reinvent their distribution model as a result of declining traffic, according to a Bloomberg report. Other reports from SEO analysts found the presence of AI Overviews reduced clicks to sites, compared to traditional search results." In the UK, MailOnline and Metro owner DMG Media told the Competition and Markets Authority (per the BBC), that AI Overviews had caused an 89 percent drop in click-through rates. So, what's next? The EU has informed Google of the investigation and says there is "no legal deadline" for the end of the case, noting that the timeline may be impacted by "the complexity of the case, the extent to which the companies concerned cooperate with the Commission and the parties' exercise of the rights of defence." It's just the latest Big Tech case brought forth by the EU, with Apple and Meta facing hundreds of millions in fines and a landmark €120 million fine slapped on Elon Musk's X, all for breaching its Digital Services Act (DSA). But it's also the latest case against a major tech company using material for AI training and aggregation purposes, with ChatGPT creator OpenAI facing multiple lawsuits for AI training and copyright infringement, including from publishers. Ziff Davis, Mashable's parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.

EU opens investigation into Google's use of online content for AI models

European Commission to assess whether Gemini owner is putting rival companies at a disadvantage The EU has opened an investigation to assess whether Google is breaching European competition rules in its use of online content from web publishers and YouTube for artificial intelligence. The European Commission said on Tuesday it will examine whether the US tech company, which runs the Gemini AI model and is owned by Alphabet, is putting rival AI owners at a "disadvantage". "The investigation will notably examine whether Google is distorting competition by imposing unfair terms and conditions on publishers and content creators, or by granting itself privileged access to such content, thereby placing developers of rival AI models at a disadvantage," the commission said. It said it was concerned that Google may have used content from web publishers to generate AI-powered services on its search results pages without appropriate compensation to publishers and without offering them the possibility to refuse such use of their content. The commission said it was also concerned as to whether Google has used content uploaded to YouTube to train its own generative AI models without offering creators compensation or the possibility to refuse. "Content creators uploading videos on YouTube have an obligation to grant Google permission to use their data for different purposes, including for training generative AI models," the commission said. Google does not pay YouTube content creators for their content, nor does it allow them to upload their content on YouTube without allowing Google to use such data, it said. The commission noted that rival developers of AI models are barred by YouTube policies from using YouTube content to train their own AI models. Last month, the head of Google's parent company has said people should not "blindly trust" everything AI tools tell them. Sundar Pichai, the chief executive of Alphabet, said AI models were "prone to errors" and urged people to use them alongside other tools. In the same interview, Pichai warned that no company would be immune if the AI bubble burst.

Google illegally scraped the web to fix its AI problems and catch up to OpenAI, European regulators probe | Fortune

Google faces fresh antitrust scrutiny from European Union regulators, who opened an investigation Tuesday into the company's use of online content for its artificial intelligence models and services. The latest regulatory flexing by Brussels risks antagonizing President Donald Trump's administration, though EU officials denied they were singling out American Big Tech companies. The European Commission, which is the 27-nation bloc's top antitrust enforcer, said it's examining whether Google has breached competition rules through its use of content from web publishers and material uploaded to YouTube for AI purposes. Regulators are concerned that Google has given itself an unfair advantage by using content for two search services, AI Overviews and AI Mode, without paying publishers and content creators or letting them opt out. AI Overviews are automatically generated summaries that appear at the top of its traditional search results, while AI Mode provides chatbot-style answers to search queries. They're also examining whether Google uses videos uploaded to YouTube under similar conditions to train its generative AI models, while shutting out rival AI model developers. Officials said they're seeking to determine whether Google gained an edge over AI rivals by imposing unfair terms and conditions, or giving itself privileged access to content. "This complaint risks stifling innovation in a market that is more competitive than ever," Google said in statement. "Europeans deserve to benefit from the latest technologies and we will continue to work closely with the news and creative industries as they transition to the AI era." The Commission, which is the bloc's executive arm, is carrying out the investigation under the EU's longstanding competition regulations, rather than its newer Digital Markets Act that was drawn up to prevent Big Tech companies from monopolizing online markets. "AI is bringing remarkable innovation and many benefits for people and businesses across Europe, but this progress cannot come at the expense of the principles at the heart of our societies," Teresa Ribera, the commission's vice president overseeing competition affairs, said in a statement. Last week the Commission opened an antitrust investigation into WhatsApp's AI policy. It also fined Elon Musk's social media platform X 120 million euros ($140 million) for breaching digital regulations, which drew complaints from Trump officials that American companies were being targeted. The Commission is "agnostic" about the nationality of companies it is investigating, spokeswoman Arianna Podesta said. "Of course, the sole focus of our antitrust investigations is a possible illegal behavior and the harm that this could bring to competition and consumers within the European Union," she told reporters at a regular briefing in Brussels. Google will have the chance to reply to the concerns and the Commission has also informed U.S. authorities about the investigation, she said. Brussels has no deadline to wrap up the case, which could result in sanctions including a fine worth up to 10% of the company's annual global revenue. ___ Associated Press writer Sam McNeil in Brussels contributed to this report.

EU Opens Antitrust Probe Into Google's Use of Publisher, YouTube Content for AI - Decrypt

This is the EU's second investigation against Google in a month, as Brussels cracks down on Big Tech's AI practices. The European Commission launched a formal antitrust investigation Tuesday into whether Google breached EU competition rules by using web publisher and YouTube content to power its artificial intelligence services without fair compensation or consent. "The Commission will investigate to what extent the generation of AI Overviews and AI Mode by Google is based on web publishers' content without appropriate compensation for that, and without the possibility for publishers to refuse without losing access to Google Search," a Tuesday statement said. Publishers must either let Google use their content for AI summaries without payment or risk losing visibility in Search. YouTube creators face a similar dilemma, as uploading gives Google automatic AI-training rights with no compensation while rival AI developers are barred from using the same content. "AI is bringing remarkable innovation and many benefits for people and businesses across Europe, but this progress cannot come at the expense of the principles at the heart of our societies," Teresa Ribera, Executive Vice-President for Clean, Just and Competitive Transition, said in the statement. Even Alex Chandra, partner at IGNOS Law Alliance, told Decrypt the investigation "reflects a deeper, structural ambition: to subject globally scalable digital business models to the EU's regulatory and competitive framework." "If the Commission is not very disciplined (transparent about burden-of-proof, consistent across geography and business model) this could become less about "fair competition" and more about "favoring what fits European regulatory and economic priorities," he said. If proven, the practices under investigation may breach EU competition rules that ban dominant companies from using their market power to distort competition. The regulator said it will carry out its investigation as a matter of priority, but provided no legal deadline for concluding the probe. The investigation comes less than a month after the Commission formally launched proceedings to assess whether Google applies fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory conditions of access to publishers' websites on Google Search under the Digital Markets Act. In September, the Commission fined Google $3.1 billion (€2.95 billion) for breaching EU antitrust rules by favoring its own advertising technology services over competing providers. The Commission ordered Google to end its self-preferencing practices and implement measures to address conflicts of interest across the adtech supply chain. Last week, the Commission also opened an investigation into Meta over policy changes that allow its own AI chatbot to operate on WhatsApp while blocking rivals from doing the same.

Google is under investigation in the EU to find out whether it imposes unfair terms on content creators for AI

The European Commission has opened an antitrust investigation into Google and whether it is imposing unfair terms on content creators and web publishers to power its AI services. The Commission's investigation focuses on two major concerns. First, the possible use of videos uploaded to YouTube being used to train generative AI models. This being done without the content creator receiving any money or being able to refuse to have their content used this way. "Content creators uploading videos on YouTube have an obligation to grant Google permission to use their data for different purposes, including for training generative AI models," the Commission says. "Google does not remunerate YouTube content creators for their content, nor does allow them to upload their content on YouTube without allowing Google to use such data." Secondly, the use of web publishers' content (i.e. webpages) to provide AI Overviews and AI Mode. "The Commission will investigate to what extent the generation of AI Overviews and AI Mode by Google is based on web publishers' content without appropriate compensation for that, and without the possibility for publishers to refuse without losing access to Google Search." If you're not familiar, AI Mode is more of a traditional chatbot interface for Google Search, while AI Overviews are the short summaries that appear at the top of a Google Search result in response to some search queries. These overviews use information provided by web publishers and content creators to offer an answer on Google's platform to the user's query. Thus, the user no longer needs to bother visiting the website that provided the information. According to a Pew Research report, users that do not see an AI summary are almost twice as likely to visit a traditional search result link than those that do. A study by Authoritas found that websites that were ranked the highest for certain queries were losing around 79% of their traffic when an AI Overview was served on the results page. AI Overviews are not present on all Google searches, and in fact, most estimations put them at under 50%. Google also disputes the Authoritas study. The company has previously defended AI Overviews and suggests it has not seen a dramatic drop in aggregate web traffic as a result of their rollout. So, the way it's shaping up, this antitrust case is going to get right back into the bitter argument between rightsholders, publishers, and big tech firms over AI. As it stands, there's an opt-out from EU copyright law for text and data mining, the so-called TDM (Text and Data Mining) Exception. This applies to the use of copyrighted material in training AI. However, the rightsholder retains the right to opt out of TDM. "Directive (EU) 2019/790 introduced exceptions and limitations allowing reproductions and extractions of works or other subject matter, for the purpose of text and data mining, under certain conditions," notes a recital on the EU Artificial Intelligence Act website. "Under these rules, rightsholders may choose to reserve their rights over their works or other subject matter to prevent text and data mining, unless this is done for the purposes of scientific research. Where the rights to opt out has been expressly reserved in an appropriate manner, providers of general-purpose AI models need to obtain an authorisation from rightsholders if they want to carry out text and data mining over such works." So, effectively, the Commission is looking into two cases where, as it notes, there may be no way to opt out. Though there is another angle to all this: whether Google, by owning YouTube and Google Search, has an advantage over rival AI firms. "AI is bringing remarkable innovation and many benefits for people and businesses across Europe, but this progress cannot come at the expense of the principles at the heart of our societies," Teresa Ribera, executive vice president for clean, just and competitive transition, European Commission, says. "This is why we are investigating whether Google may have imposed unfair terms and conditions on publishers and content creators, while placing rival AI models developers at a disadvantage, in breach of EU competition rules." The investigation has begun "as a matter of priority" but there's no set limit to how long it might go on for, so we'll have to sit and wait patiently for the decision to come through. In the past, the Commission has handed out many fines to big tech companies over breaching EU rules, most recently with Elon Musk's platform, X, which Donald Trump called a "nasty one", but also Apple and Meta. Google has also fallen foul of the Commission previously, with a €2.4 billion fine for abusing its position with shopping comparison services in 2024. That case was first brought to the Commission in 2009, though, so we might be in for a long wait before we see any resolution to this one.

EU launches antitrust probe into Google's data use for AI

Brussels (Belgium) (AFP) - The EU announced Tuesday it had opened a probe to assess whether Google breached antitrust rules by using content put online by media and other publishers to train and provide AI services without appropriate compensation. The European Commission said the investigation would look into concerns that the US tech giant might be distorting competition by imposing unfair terms and conditions on publishers and content creators, or by granting itself privileged access to their output. "A free and democratic society depends on diverse media, open access to information, and a vibrant creative landscape," the European Union's competition chief, Teresa Ribera, said. "AI is bringing remarkable innovation and many benefits for people and businesses across Europe, but this progress cannot come at the expense of the principles at the heart of our societies". The commission, the European Union's antitrust regulator, said the probe would focus on two issues. It would look into whether Google used YouTube videos to train its generative AI models without adequately paying the creators who post the clips online -- and without offering them the possibility to refuse such use of their content. "Google does not remunerate YouTube content creators for their content, nor does (it) allow them to upload their content on YouTube without allowing Google to use such data," the commission said. "At the same time, rival developers of AI models are barred by YouTube policies from using YouTube content to train their own AI models." The probe would also check whether the firm used online content from other sites, such as newspaper websites, to provide generative AI-powered services, again with no compensation or possibility to opt-out. This relates in particular to Google's AI-generated summaries that pop-up in response to a user's search query and to the firm's "AI Mode" -- a search tab similar to a chatbot which answers users' questions, the commission said. "We are investigating whether Google may have imposed unfair terms and conditions on publishers and content creators, while placing rival AI models developers at a disadvantage, in breach of EU competition rules," Ribera said. There is no deadline for the commission to complete its investigation and the opening of a probe does not prejudge its outcome. The company, however, risks a hefty fine.

EU Commission opens probe into Google over AI despite tensions with US

The EU antitrust enforcer on Tuesday opened an investigation into the US tech giant over its use of online content to power its AI services, a move that threatens to ratchet up transatlantic relations. The European Commission on Tuesday launched a probe into Google over its use of web publishers' content and YouTube material for its AI services. The decision comes after transatlantic tensions escalated over the weekend after Brussels imposed a €120 million fine on Elon Musk's social network X for breaching its landmark Digital Services Act (DSA), prompting a political response from the world's richest man calling for the EU to be abolished. "AI is bringing remarkable innovation and many benefits for people and businesses across Europe, but this progress cannot come at the expense of the principles at the heart of our societies," EU competition Commissioner Teresa Ribera said in a statement. "This is why we are investigating whether Google may have imposed unfair terms and conditions on publishers and content creators, while placing rival AI models developers at a disadvantage," Ribera added. The EU investigation will examine whether Google used web publishers' content to provide generative-AI services on its search results pages without appropriate compensation and without giving them the option to refuse. Many publishers depend on Google Search for user traffic. It will also assess whether videos uploaded on YouTube were used to train Google's generative AI models without proper compensation to creators and without giving them any choice. The Commission's probe is based on EU rules designed to prohibit abuses of dominant market position. However, the opening of a probe following a fine on X might trigger Washington's ire, which has positioned itself on the side of Big American Tech. Since Trump's return to power in 2025, the EU and the US have been at loggerheads over the bloc's enforcement of digital rules. The Trump administration accuses the EU of targeting only US companies, while the EU says its legislation is non-discriminatory and reflects its sovereign right to enforce its own digital-market rules. Euronews has reached out to Google for comment.

EU will investigate Google over how it uses online content for AI training - SiliconANGLE

EU will investigate Google over how it uses online content for AI training The European Commission has launched a probe into Google over concerns it may be breaching EU competition laws by extracting content from websites without compensation to produce AI-generated search summaries. "The Commission will investigate to what extent the generation of AI Overviews and AI Mode by Google is based on web publishers' content without appropriate compensation for that, and without the possibility for publishers to refuse without losing access to Google Search," the EU executive body said. "Indeed, many publishers depend on Google Search for user traffic, and they do not want to risk losing access to it." The second strand of the Commission's investigation also focuses on Google's use of AI, examining whether the company has used YouTube content to train its generative AI models without adequately compensating creators or allowing them to opt out. "Europeans deserve to benefit from the latest technologies, and we will continue to work closely with the news and creative industries as they transition to the AI era," said the bloc. There have now been numerous lawsuits in the U.S. where data scraping and AI companies are concerned. In some cases, media companies have struck a deal with the companies. In others, the lawsuits are ongoing. The EU isn't trying to negotiate a content-licensing deal for anyone, but trying to ensure publishers and YouTube are being compensated for their work. It also wants to create a level-playing field for all AI firms, with the probe looking into what advantages Google might have by giving itself "privileged access" to online content. In response, a Google spokesperson told media the probe "risks stifling innovation in a market that is more competitive than ever." Europe has continually been the target of criticism, with U.S. Big Tech stating that over-regulation is slowing down innovation. Just recently, the bloc announced it will relax data protection rules to boost AI growth. This came after President Trump aired his concerns that such limits on companies are impeding the U.S. in its race to get ahead of China. The EU is now in the process of making changes, which will mean some amount of tinkering with its controversial AI Act.

Google faces a new EU antitrust probe over content used for AI Overviews, YouTube

The latest regulatory flexing by Brussels risks antagonizing President Donald Trump's administration, though EU officials denied they were singling out American Big Tech companies. The European Commission, which is the 27-nation bloc's top antitrust enforcer, said it's examining whether Google has breached competition rules through its use of content from web publishers and material uploaded to YouTube for AI purposes. Regulators are concerned that Google has given itself an unfair advantage by using content for two search services, AI Overviews and AI Mode, without paying publishers and content creators or letting them opt out. AI Overviews are automatically generated summaries that appear at the top of its traditional search results, while AI Mode provides chatbot-style answers to search queries.

EU launches probe into Google's use of online content for AI

The European Commission is concerned that Google is using content without proper remuneration or consent to benefit its AI services and models. The European Commission has opened an antitrust investigation into Google over the tech giant's use of web publishers' content and content uploaded to YouTube for the benefit of its artificial intelligence (AI). The probe will examine whether Google is distorting competition by imposing unfair terms and conditions on publishers and content creators, or by granting itself "privileged access" to their content, "thereby placing developers of rival AI models at a disadvantage". According to an announcement released today (9 December), the Commission is investigating the extent at which Google is using the content of web publishers to provide its AI Overview and AI Mode services on its search results pages, and whether the tech giant is doing so without providing appropriate compensation or the option to refuse such use. The EU governing body will also examine whether Google is using content uploaded to online video platform YouTube to train its generative AI models without appropriate compensation or the option for refusal. Because YouTube is owned by Google, users uploading content to YouTube grant the tech giant permission to use their data for various purposes, including training its AI models. The Commission said that Google does not remunerate YouTube creators for their content, while at the same time, rival AI developers are barred by YouTube policies from using YouTube content to train their own models. If these practices are proven true, the European Commission may determine that Google is in breach of EU competition rules that prohibit the abuse of a dominant position - namely Article 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and Article 54 of the European Economic Area Agreement. As it is an antitrust investigation, there is no legal deadline for bringing the probe to an end. According to the Commission, the duration of the probe will depend on a number of factors including the complexity of the case, the extent to which the companies concerned cooperate with the Commission, and the parties' exercise of the rights of defence. "A free and democratic society depends on diverse media, open access to information and a vibrant creative landscape. These values are central to who we are as Europeans," said Teresa Ribera, the European Commission's executive vice-president for clean, just and competitive transition. "AI is bringing remarkable innovation and many benefits for people and businesses across Europe, but this progress cannot come at the expense of the principles at the heart of our societies. This is why we are investigating whether Google may have imposed unfair terms and conditions on publishers and content creators, while placing rival AI models developers at a disadvantage, in breach of EU competition rules." Google has faced considerable scrutiny from the EU recently. Last month, the EU launched an investigation into Google over concerns that the tech giant is "demoting" news and media publishers' websites and content in search results. In September, the EU issued a €2.95bn fine to the tech giant for breaching antitrust regulations in the EU with its adtech practices. Don't miss out on the knowledge you need to succeed. Sign up for the Daily Brief, Silicon Republic's digest of need-to-know sci-tech news.

Google Zero: EU probes impact of AI Overviews on web traffic

The European Union initiated an antitrust investigation into Google over allegations that the company unfairly uses content from web publishers and YouTube creators to gain an advantage in artificial intelligence (AI). The probe concerns claims that Google has breached competition rules by restricting web publishers and YouTube creators. The company has allegedly used content from these sources for features such as AI Overviews and AI Mode in Search, and has fed YouTube content into its generative AI models without offering appropriate compensation or the ability to refuse such use. These actions directly relate to the emerging concept of "Google Zero," where Google Search may no longer direct users to third-party sites, potentially reducing their traffic and revenue. The European Commission will examine the ability of web publishers to prevent their content from being used in Google's AI features without losing access to Search, a platform many publishers rely on for user traffic. The Commission also notes that YouTube's policies permit Google to train its AI models on uploaded content while prohibiting the use of such content to train rival AI models. The EU has stated it will conduct the probe "as a matter of priority" but has not set an official deadline. If found to have violated the bloc's competition laws, Google could face fines reaching up to 10% of its global annual revenue. Google's parent company, Alphabet, reported an annual revenue of $350 billion in 2024, which could lead to potential fines as high as $35 billion. "A free and democratic society depends on diverse media, open access to information, and a vibrant creative landscape. These values are central to who we are as Europeans," European competition commissioner Teresa Ribera said. "AI is bringing remarkable innovation and many benefits for people and businesses across Europe, but this progress cannot come at the expense of the principles at the heart of our societies."

Google facing a new antitrust probe in Europe over content it uses for AI

The European Commission, which is the 27-nation bloc's top antitrust enforcer, said it's examining whether Google has breached competition rules through its use of content from web publishers as well as material uploaded to YouTube for AI purposes. Regulators are concerned that Google has given itself an unfair advantage by using content for two search services, AI Overviews and AI Mode, without paying publishers or letting them opt out. AI Overviews automatically generates summaries that appear at the top of its traditional search results, while AI Mode provides chatbot-style answers to search queries. They're also examining whether Google uses videos uploaded to YouTube under similar conditions to train its generative AI models, while shutting out rival AI model developers. "This complaint risks stifling innovation in a market that is more competitive than ever," Google said in statement. "Europeans deserve to benefit from the latest technologies and we will continue to work closely with the news and creative industries as they transition to the AI era." The Commission, which is the bloc's executive arm, is carrying out the investigation under the EU's longstanding competition regulations, rather than its newer Digital Markets Act that was was drawn up to prevent Big Tech companies from monopolizing online markets. "AI is bringing remarkable innovation and many benefits for people and businesses across Europe, but this progress cannot come at the expense of the principles at the heart of our societies," Teresa Ribera, the commission's vice president overseeing competition affairs, said in a statement. "This is why we are investigating whether Google may have imposed unfair terms and conditions on publishers and content creators, while placing rival AI models developers at a disadvantage, in breach of EU competition rules." Brussels has no deadline to wrap up the case, which could result in sanctions including a fine worth up to 10% of the company's annual global revenue.

Google facing a new antitrust probe in Europe over content it uses for AI

LONDON (AP) -- Google faces fresh antitrust scrutiny from European Union regulators, who opened an investigation Tuesday into the company's use of online content for its artificial intelligence models and services. The European Commission, which is the 27-nation bloc's top antitrust enforcer, said it's examining whether Google has breached competition rules through its use of content from web publishers as well as material uploaded to YouTube for AI purposes. Regulators are concerned that Google has given itself an unfair advantage by using content for two search services, AI Overviews and AI Mode, without paying publishers or letting them opt out. AI Overviews automatically generates summaries that appear at the top of its traditional search results, while AI Mode provides chatbot-style answers to search queries. They're also examining whether Google uses videos uploaded to YouTube under similar conditions to train its generative AI models, while shutting out rival AI model developers. "This complaint risks stifling innovation in a market that is more competitive than ever," Google said in statement. "Europeans deserve to benefit from the latest technologies and we will continue to work closely with the news and creative industries as they transition to the AI era." The Commission, which is the bloc's executive arm, is carrying out the investigation under the EU's longstanding competition regulations, rather than its newer Digital Markets Act that was was drawn up to prevent Big Tech companies from monopolizing online markets. "AI is bringing remarkable innovation and many benefits for people and businesses across Europe, but this progress cannot come at the expense of the principles at the heart of our societies," Teresa Ribera, the commission's vice president overseeing competition affairs, said in a statement. "This is why we are investigating whether Google may have imposed unfair terms and conditions on publishers and content creators, while placing rival AI models developers at a disadvantage, in breach of EU competition rules." Brussels has no deadline to wrap up the case, which could result in sanctions including a fine worth up to 10% of the company's annual global revenue.

Google Facing a New Antitrust Probe in Europe Over Content It Uses for AI

LONDON (AP) -- Google faces fresh antitrust scrutiny from European Union regulators, who opened an investigation Tuesday into the company's use of online content for its artificial intelligence models and services. The European Commission, which is the 27-nation bloc's top antitrust enforcer, said it's examining whether Google has breached competition rules through its use of content from web publishers as well as material uploaded to YouTube for AI purposes. Regulators are concerned that Google has given itself an unfair advantage by using content for two search services, AI Overviews and AI Mode, without paying publishers or letting them opt out. AI Overviews automatically generates summaries that appear at the top of its traditional search results, while AI Mode provides chatbot-style answers to search queries. They're also examining whether Google uses videos uploaded to YouTube under similar conditions to train its generative AI models, while shutting out rival AI model developers. "This complaint risks stifling innovation in a market that is more competitive than ever," Google said in statement. "Europeans deserve to benefit from the latest technologies and we will continue to work closely with the news and creative industries as they transition to the AI era." The Commission, which is the bloc's executive arm, is carrying out the investigation under the EU's longstanding competition regulations, rather than its newer Digital Markets Act that was was drawn up to prevent Big Tech companies from monopolizing online markets. "AI is bringing remarkable innovation and many benefits for people and businesses across Europe, but this progress cannot come at the expense of the principles at the heart of our societies," Teresa Ribera, the commission's vice president overseeing competition affairs, said in a statement. "This is why we are investigating whether Google may have imposed unfair terms and conditions on publishers and content creators, while placing rival AI models developers at a disadvantage, in breach of EU competition rules." Brussels has no deadline to wrap up the case, which could result in sanctions including a fine worth up to 10% of the company's annual global revenue.

Google Faces EU Antitrust Investigation Over AI Overviews, YouTube

AI Overviews are shown to Google users in more than 100 countries Google faces an EU antitrust investigation into its use of publishers' online content and YouTube videos to train its artificial intelligence models. The European Commission's second investigation into Google in less than a month underscores growing unease over Big Tech's dominance in new technologies that could shut out rivals, but could escalate tensions with the United States as EU laws adopted in the last few years have become a sore point in relations with Washington. The EU competition enforcer said it was concerned that Google may be using publishers' online content for its AI-generated summaries known as AI Overviews without compensating them adequately and without giving them the option to refuse. It expressed the same concerns regarding Google's use of YouTube videos uploaded by its users. "Google may be abusing its dominant position as a search engine to impose unfair trading conditions on publishers by using their online content to provide its own AI-powered services," EU antitrust chief Teresa Ribera said on Tuesday. "A healthy information ecosystem depends on publishers having the resources to produce quality content. We will not allow gatekeepers to dictate those choices," she added. Google rejected the complaint by independent publishers in July which triggered the EU investigation. "This complaint risks stifling innovation in a market that is more competitive than ever," a Google spokesperson said. "Europeans deserve to benefit from the latest technologies and we will continue to work closely with the news and creative industries as they transition to the AI era." The Independent Publishers Alliance, Movement for an Open Web, whose members include digital advertisers and publishers, and British non-profit Foxglove criticised Google. "Google has broken the bargain that underpins the internet. The deal was that websites would be indexed, retrieved and shown when relevant to a query. Everyone had a chance," said lawyer Tim Cowen who advises the groups. "Now it puts its AiO, Gemini, first and adds insult to injury by exploiting website content to train Gemini. Gemini is Search's evil twin," Cowen added. AI Overviews are AI-generated summaries that appear above traditional hyperlinks to relevant webpages and are shown to users in more than 100 countries. It began adding advertisements to AI Overviews last May. Google's spam policy is also in the EU crosshairs after an investigation prompted by publishers. The company risks a fine of as much as 10 percent of its global annual revenue if found guilty of breaching EU antitrust rules. Last week, the European Commission launched an investigation into Meta's plans to block AI rivals from its WhatsApp messaging system, underscoring increasing regulatory scrutiny.

EU launches antitrust probe into Google's use of online content for AI purposes

The European Commission has launched an antitrust investigation into whether Google is misusing online content from publishers and YouTube for its AI tools. Officials worry Google may be taking material without fair payment or giving creators a chance to opt out. The probe will also examine whether this behaviour harms rival AI developers. The European Commission has opened an antitrust probe to assess whether Google is breaching EU competition rules in its use of online content from web publishers and Youtube for artificial intelligence purposes, it said on Tuesday. "The investigation will notably examine whether Google is distorting competition by imposing unfair terms and conditions on publishers and content creators, or by granting itself privileged access to such content, thereby placing developers of rival AI models at a disadvantage," the Commission said. It said it was concerned Google may have used content from web publishers to generate AI-powered services on its search results pages without appropriate compensation to publishers and without offering them the possibility to refuse such use of their content. The Commision said it is also concerned whether Google has used content uploaded to Youtube to train its own generate AI models without offering creators compensation or the possibility to refuse.

Google Faces Antitrust Scrutiny Over AI Overviews and News Content | PYMNTS.com

By completing this form, you agree to receive marketing communications from PYMNTS and to the sharing of your information with our sponsor, if applicable, in accordance with our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions. EU officials said they are examining concerns that Google may include information from news outlets and other websites in its AI results without offering adequate payment or allowing those publishers to opt out. The same issue applies to user-uploaded content on YouTube, per Reuters. EU antitrust chief Teresa Ribera warned that "Google may be abusing its dominant position as a search engine to impose unfair trading conditions on publishers by using their online content to provide its own AI-powered services." She also said, "A healthy information ecosystem depends on publishers having the resources to produce quality content. We will not allow gatekeepers to dictate those choices." The review marks the second time in a month that European regulators have launched action against Google. According to Reuters, the move reflects heightened pressure to ensure Big Tech does not lock out rivals as AI becomes more central to the online economy. It also adds friction to EU-U.S. relations, where new European digital rules have already been a point of contention. Related: Google Withdraws EU Antitrust Complaint Against Microsoft Google has pushed back, arguing that regulation risks harming competition. "This complaint risks stifling innovation in a market that is more competitive than ever," a spokesperson said, maintaining that the company will continue partnering with news and creative industries "as they transition to the AI era." Criticism has also come from industry groups such as the Independent Publishers Alliance and the Movement for an Open Web. Their adviser, lawyer Tim Cowen, argued that "Google has broken the bargain that underpins the internet," saying that its AI system, Gemini, is prioritized over traditional search results. "Now it puts its AiO, Gemini, first and adds insult to injury by exploiting website content to train Gemini. Gemini is Search's evil twin," he said. AI Overviews -- which display AI-generated summaries above normal website links -- are already rolled out in more than 100 countries, and Google began integrating ads into them last year. Meanwhile, the company's spam policies are also being reviewed, and Google could face fines up to 10% of its global annual revenue if the Commission finds violations. The latest probe comes just a week after the EU opened an investigation into Meta's plans regarding access to WhatsApp for competing AI developers, signaling a broader regulatory drive to shape how powerful tech companies deploy artificial intelligence across key digital platforms.

Google faces EU antitrust probe over alleged use of online content for AI purposes

The European Commission opened an antitrust investigation to assess if Alphabet's (GOOG) (GOOGL) Google has breached EU competition rules by using the content of web publishers and content uploaded on YouTube for AI purposes. The EU antitrust regulator said that The investigation could lead to restrictions on how Google sources and uses publisher and YouTube content for AI model development, potentially changing its AI services and compensation requirements. Yes, the EU alleges that Google's policies prevent rival AI developers from using YouTube content while giving itself privileged access, possibly distorting competition. EU regulators are concerned that Google may be using publisher and creator content for AI services without adequate compensation or consent, harming creators and competition.

Google's AI Tools Face EU Antitrust Investigation | PYMNTS.com

By completing this form, you agree to receive marketing communications from PYMNTS and to the sharing of your information with our sponsor, if applicable, in accordance with our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions. The European Commission (EC) announced Tuesday (Dec. 9) that it is looking into whether Google had hindered competition by imposing unfair conditions on content creators, and by giving its own AI model an edge over competitors. The investigation will look at whether Google used web publishers' content to provide generative AI-powered services to its search results page without properly compensating them or offering them the chance to refuse this use of their content. In addition, the competition watchdog is examining whether it used content uploaded to YouTube to train AI models without compensating the creators of those videos. "AI is bringing remarkable innovation and many benefits for people and businesses across Europe, but this progress cannot come at the expense of the principles at the heart of our societies," said Teresa Ribera, the EU's antitrust commissioner. "This is why we are investigating whether Google may have imposed unfair terms and conditions on publishers and content creators, while placing rival AI models developers at a disadvantage, in breach of EU competition rules." Reached for comment by PYMNTS, a spokesperson for Google shared a statement arguing that the EC complaint "risks stifling innovation in a market that is more competitive than ever. Europeans deserve to benefit from the latest technologies and we will continue to work closely with the news and creative industries as they transition to the AI era" The company also noted that it offers controls to help publishers manage content, and that it will continue to work with regulators on the issue. Google added that it paid $100 billion to creators, artists, and media companies between 2021 and 2024. The news comes days after the EC said it was investigating Meta-owned messaging platform WhatApp over its new artificial intelligence policy. The commission said it was concerned this rule could prevent third-party AI providers from offering their services via WhatsApp. A spokesperson for WhatsApp called the claims behind the planned investigation "baseless" in a statement to PYMNTS. Meanwhile, on the other side of the Atlantic, President Donald Trump on Monday (Dec. 8) said he would sign an executive order giving the federal government sole jurisdiction over AI regulation. This came after reports that the White House was weighing challenges to state-level rules governing artificial intelligence.

EU probes Google for possible 'anticompetitive' use of copyrighted...

Google faces a fresh antitrust investigation in Brussels over whether it ripped off copyrighted material to train its artificial intelligence models without properly compensating publishers, the European Commission announced Tuesday. The European Union's antitrust cops expressed concern that Google used web publishers' articles and videos to build its "AI Overviews" search summary feature and "AI Mode" search function without paying them or allowing them to opt out. The investigation is centered on Google's handling of articles from news publishers and content creators, as well as videos uploaded to YouTube. "AI is bringing remarkable innovation and many benefits for people and businesses across Europe, but this progress cannot come at the expense of the principles at the heart of our societies," EU antitrust chief Teresa Ribera said in a statement. The investigation could further raise tensions between the EU and the Trump administration, which has been critical of the 27-member bloc's ongoing campaign of fines and penalties against US tech companies. A Google spokesperson said the EU's inquiry "risks stifling innovation in a market that is more competitive than ever." "Europeans deserve to benefit from the latest technologies and we will continue to work closely with the news and creative industries as they transition to the AI era," the spokesperson added. In September, the EU slapped Google with a $3.4 billion fine after determining it broke competition rules related to advertising technology. President Trump blasted that action as "discriminatory." Earlier this week, Trump warned Europe to be "very careful" after it imposed a $140 million fine on Elon Musk's social media platform X for alleged violations of the EU's content moderation policies. At the same time, Google and other tech firms remain under intense scrutiny within the US over their AI training practices. As The Post reported, a group of top conservatives including ex-Trump adviser Steve Bannon recently demanded that the administration reject Big Tech's argument that its use of copyrighted material is protected by so-called "fair use doctrine." Meanwhile, Mark Zuckerberg's Meta, which is locked in a fierce AI competition with Google, recently announced a new set of licensing deals with top publishers, including CNN and Fox News. Fox News shares a common owner with News Corp, which publishes The Post.

Google faces EU antitrust probe over AI practices By Investing.com

Investing.com -- The European Union launched an antitrust investigation into Alphabet\'s Google, focusing on potential competition issues related to the company\'s artificial-intelligence practices. On Tuesday, the European Commission announced it is examining whether Google is distorting competition through unfair terms and conditions imposed on publishers and content creators. The investigation will also look into allegations that Google gives itself privileged access to content, potentially creating an unfair advantage for its AI tools over competitors. This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.

Brussels investigates Google's use of AI

The European Commission has opened an antitrust investigation targeting Google, Alphabet's subsidiary, over its use of online publishers' content and YouTube videos to train its artificial intelligence models. Brussels suspects the US giant of failing to compensate content creators fairly and of not giving them the option to refuse the use of their data. These practices could constitute an abuse of a dominant position in the market for search services. The investigation focuses in particular on "AI Overviews," AI-generated summaries displayed at the top of search results in over 100 countries. Rolled out since May, they also include sponsored content. According to Teresa Ribera, a vice president of the Commission, the initiative aims to ensure fair competition and protect the rights of publishers, journalists, and other creators in emerging artificial intelligence markets.

EU launches probe into Google's use of content for AI purposes

STORY: The European Commission has opened an antitrust probe to assess whether Google is breaching EU competition rules. That's in its use of online content from web publishers and Youtube for artificial intelligence purposes. The Commission announced the news on Tuesday (December 9). It said the investigation will examine whether Google is distorting competition by imposing unfair conditions on publishers and content creators. Or by granting itself privileged access to such content, and placing developers of rival AI models at a disadvantage. The Commission further said it was concerned Google may have used content from web publishers to generate AI-powered services on its search results pages. That's without appropriate compensation to publishers and without offering them the possibility to refuse such use of their content. The Commission added it is also looking at whether Google has used content uploaded to Youtube to train its own AI models. And without offering creators compensation or the possibility to refuse.

EU Probes Google Over Use of Online Content to Power AI -- 2nd Update

The European Union opened an antitrust investigation into Alphabet's Google, citing concerns about how it uses uploaded content on platforms such as YouTube to power and train its artificial-intelligence tools. The European Commission said Tuesday that it is looking into whether Google is distorting competition by imposing unfair terms and conditions on publishers or by giving itself privileged access to their content. The EU's executive arm said such practices could put Google's own AI tools at an advantage over competitors. The watchdog said it is concerned that Google might have unfairly used publishers' content to provide AI-powered services such as its AI Overviews and used content uploaded to its YouTube video streaming platform to train its own generative AI models. The commission received a legal complaint earlier this year from publishers over Google's AI Overview tool, which alleged that the company was unfairly directing traffic away from news websites. A Google spokesperson said Tuesday that the complaint risked stifling innovation. "Europeans deserve to benefit from the latest technologies and we will continue to work closely with the news and creative industries as they transition to the AI era," the spokesperson said. The probe comes as Google gains ground in the AI race. The search giant released the latest version of its Gemini AI chat service last month, sending its stock soaring and prompting OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman to declare in a company memo a "code red" effort to improve ChatGPT. The EU's competition enforcer has recently intensified its scrutiny of how Big Tech companies are bringing AI into their services. The commission on Thursday opened an investigation into how Meta Platforms is weaving its own AI bot into messaging service WhatsApp and moving to prevent competing AI providers from operating on the platform. "AI is bringing remarkable innovation and many benefits for people and businesses across Europe, but this progress cannot come at the expense of the principles at the heart of our societies," Teresa Ribera, the bloc's competition commissioner, said in a statement Tuesday. The new probe also comes less than a month after the commission--the bloc's competition regulator tasked with policing the world's most powerful companies--began investigating Google over how the tech giant ranks news publishers in search results. Companies face fines of up to 10% of their annual worldwide turnover if the commission decides they are breaching EU antitrust law.

EU Probes Google Over Use of Online Content to Power AI -- Update

The European Union opened an antitrust investigation into Alphabet's Google, citing concerns about how the search giant uses uploaded content on platforms such as YouTube to power and train its artificial-intelligence tools. The European Commission said Tuesday that it is looking into whether Google is distorting competition by imposing unfair terms and conditions on publishers or by giving itself privileged access to their content. The EU's executive arm said such practices could put Google's own AI tools at an advantage over competitors. The watchdog said it is concerned that Google might have unfairly used publishers' content to provide AI-powered services such as its AI Overviews and used content uploaded to its YouTube video streaming platform to train its own generative AI models. Google didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. "AI is bringing remarkable innovation and many benefits for people and businesses across Europe, but this progress cannot come at the expense of the principles at the heart of our societies," Teresa Ribera, the bloc's competition commissioner, said in a statement Tuesday. The new probe comes less than a month after the commission--the bloc's competition regulator tasked with policing the world's most powerful companies--began investigating Google over how the tech giant ranks news publishers in search results. The competition regulator has also intensified its scrutiny of how Big Tech companies are bringing AI into their services. The commission on Thursday opened an investigation into Meta Platforms over how the company is weaving its own AI bot into messaging service WhatsApp and how that affects the ability of competing AI providers to operate on the platform.

EU launches antitrust probe into Google's use of online content for AI purposes

BRUSSELS, Dec 9 (Reuters) - The European Commission has opened an antitrust probe to assess whether Google is breaching EU competition rules in its use of online content from web publishers and Youtube for artificial intelligence purposes, it said on Tuesday. "The investigation will notably examine whether Google is distorting competition by imposing unfair terms and conditions on publishers and content creators, or by granting itself privileged access to such content, thereby placing developers of rival AI models at a disadvantage," the Commission said. It said it was concerned Google may have used content from web publishers to generate AI-powered services on its search results pages without appropriate compensation to publishers and without offering them the possibility to refuse such use of their content. The Commision said it is also concerned whether Google has used content uploaded to Youtube to train its own generate AI models without offering creators compensation or the possibility to refuse. (Reporting by Louise Breusch Rasmussen, editing by Charlotte Van Campenhout)

Google hit with EU probe over concerns it used web and YouTube content to train its AI without consent

Google could face fines up to 10% of its global revenue if found to have violated EU competition laws. Google is once again under scrutiny, as the European Union began a formal investigation into the search giant, raising concerns that the company may have violated competition rules with its approach to AI training and usage. The authorities have been investigating whether Google imposed unfair restrictions on web publishers and YouTube creators while using their content to improve its own AI products. According to the European Commission, Google's AI features, such as AI overviews and AI mode in Search, may use online content without compensating creators or providing clear opt-out options. Experts have warned that such practices could hasten what many publishers fear to be Google Zero, a scenario in which Search stops directing visitors to external websites, cutting off a vital source of traffic and revenue. The inquiry will now determine whether publishers can limit the use of their content in Google's AI systems without risking lower visibility in search results. The investigators will also look into YouTube policies that allow Google to train its AI models on uploaded videos but prevent rival AI developers from doing the same. The Commission has also stated that the case is being prioritised; however, no completion date has been set so far. If Google is found in violation of EU competition law, it could face fines of up to 10 per cent of its global annual revenue, which could total $35 billion based on Alphabet's 2024 earnings. "If proven, the practices under investigation may breach EU competition rules that prohibit the abuse of a dominant position (Article 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union ('TFEU')) and Article 54 of the European Economic Area ('EEA') Agreement," the EU wrote in its announcement.