The EU’s European Commission has launched an antitrust investigation into Google‘s use of online content to train its AI models and produce overviews.
The prove will determine whether Google has breached EU competition rules by using content from web publishers, including YouTube videos, for AI purposes; and will also examine whether Google is violating competition rules “by imposing unfair terms and conditions on publishers and content creators”, or “by granting itself privileged access to such content,” the European Commission said in its release.
In 2024., Europe passed a landmark AI Act which became the world’s first law aimed at regulating artificial intelligence technology. It has fueled existing tensions between tech giants and EU regulators who have been clashing over a number of issues, such as antitrust and transparency, as well as the EU’s security and privacy law, known as GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation).
“A free and democratic society depends on diverse media, open access to information, and a vibrant creative landscape,” said Teresa Ribera, exec VP for clean, just and competitive transition. “These values are central to who we are as Europeans. 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,” Ribera continued.
The European Commission suggests Google may be harvesting content from web publishers to provide AI summaries or overviews and may be uploading video and other content on YouTube to train generative models. In both cases, the EU says Google may be breaching antitrust regulations by failing to compensate publishers and give them the possibility to decline the use of their content. Google makes it mandatory for content creators uploading videos on YouTube to grant them permission to use their data.
Less than three months ago, Google was also fined nearly €3 billion for abusing its dominance in online advertising, prompting U.S. President Donald Trump to react. “The European Union must stop this practice against American Companies,” Trump wrote on social media. The EU has already fined Google with €9.5 billion, while Apple was ordered to pay Ireland back taxes of €13 billion.
