EU opens antitrust probe into Google’s AI content use
The European Commission has launched a formal antitrust investigation into Google’s use of online publisher content and YouTube videos to train its artificial intelligence systems, including its widely deployed AI Overviews feature.
EU regulators say they are concerned Google may be using publishers’ material without adequate compensation and without giving them a meaningful option to refuse. Similar concerns apply to YouTube videos uploaded by users, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
EU antitrust chief Teresa Ribera said Google may be abusing its dominant position by imposing “unfair trading conditions” on content creators while using their work to power its own AI services.
The investigation follows a July complaint by independent publishers and comes amid rising scrutiny of Big Tech’s handling of data used for AI development. Just last week, the Commission opened a separate probe into Meta’s plans to restrict AI rivals’ access to WhatsApp.
Google could face fines of up to 10% of its global annual revenue if found in violation of EU rules.
AI Overviews — AI-generated summaries placed above search links — appear in more than 100 countries and began featuring ads earlier this year.
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