The European Commission has opened an antitrust investigation into Google, examining whether the tech giant may be breaching EU competition rules in the way it uses content from web publishers and YouTube to develop artificial intelligence services.
At the heart of the inquiry is the concern that Google could be gaining an unfair advantage by relying on content created by others without proper compensation or the option for creators to refuse use. Specifically, the Commission will look at Google’s AI-powered features in search, such as “AI Overviews” and “AI Mode,” which provide summaries or conversational-style answers based on online content. Many publishers depend on Google Search for traffic, raising questions about whether they can realistically withhold content.
The investigation also focuses on YouTube, where content uploaded by creators is used to train Google’s generative AI models. While Google benefits from this data, rival AI developers are barred from using YouTube content, potentially putting them at a competitive disadvantage.
If the Commission finds that Google has abused a dominant market position, the company could be in violation of EU competition law, which prohibits practices that distort fair competition. The investigation is being treated as a priority, though its opening does not imply any predetermined outcome.
Teresa Ribera, Executive Vice-President for Clean, Just and Competitive Transition, underlined the broader implications of the investigation: “A free and democratic society depends on diverse media, open access to information, and a vibrant creative landscape. AI is bringing remarkable innovation, but this progress cannot come at the expense of the principles at the heart of our societies. We are investigating whether Google may have imposed unfair terms on publishers and content creators, while disadvantaging developers of rival AI models, in breach of EU competition rules.”