EU Launches Inquiry into Google’s AI Content Practices

The European Commission has launched a formal investigation into whether Alphabet’s Google breached EU competition rules by using material from web publishers—including content hosted on YouTube—to develop its artificial intelligence products.

Regulators will examine whether Google distorted competition by imposing unfair terms on publishers and creators, or by giving itself preferential access to their content, potentially disadvantaging rival AI developers.

According to the Commission, Google may have drawn on publishers’ material to enhance its AI-driven search features, AI Overviews and AI Mode.
AI Overviews provides AI-generated summaries at the top of search results, while AI Mode offers a conversational, chatbot-style interface to answer users’ queries.

Officials say Google may have incorporated publishers’ content into these features without proper compensation or a meaningful option to opt out—an issue of particular concern for publishers who rely heavily on Google Search for web traffic and fear jeopardizing their visibility.

Content creators on YouTube are required to give Google permission to use their uploads for a variety of purposes, including training generative AI models. However, they receive no payment for this use, and uploading content without granting such permission is not allowed.

At the same time, YouTube’s terms prohibit competing AI model developers from using YouTube videos for training, a restriction the Commission says could reinforce Google’s dominant position in the AI market.

Teresa Ribera, the European Commission’s executive vice-president for a clean, just and competitive transition, stressed the importance of safeguarding media diversity, open access to information, and a vibrant creative sector.