Google has come under scrutiny from the European Union (EU) after regulators launched an antitrust investigation into its use of online content for artificial intelligence (AI) purposes.
The European Commission announced on Tuesday that it was assessing whether Google’s practices involved using the material of web publishers and content on YouTube in ways that might violate EU competition laws.
Regulators will explore concerns that Google’s terms and conditions for publishers and content creators could be unfair, potentially giving the company privileged access to online content and disadvantaging developers of competing AI models.
The Commission is examining whether Google’s AI features, such as AI Overviews and AI Mode, rely on content from web publishers without offering appropriate compensation or clear options for publishers to withhold their material without losing access to Google Search.
EU competition commissioner Teresa Ribera explained that while AI is driving innovation and brings significant benefits to Europe, progress must not undermine the bloc’s core principles. She stressed the importance of ensuring that technological advancement does not come at the expense of fair business practices or the interests of publishers and rival AI developers.
This investigation is the latest in a wave of regulatory actions targeting major U.S. technology firms. In September, the EU imposed a fine of around $3.4 billion on Google for antitrust violations in the advertising technology sector.
Meanwhile, Google’s global regulatory chief, Lee-Anne Mulholland, described the decision as incorrect and said the company planned to appeal, maintaining that its ad services are offered in a competitive market with many alternatives.
The EU has recently intensified its regulatory focus on large U.S. technology companies. Last week, the Commission fined the social media platform X, owned by Elon Musk, 120 million euros ($140 million) due to breaches in advertising transparency and misleading design practices related to its verification system.
Elon Musk responded by calling for the European Union to be dissolved, with some U.S. Republican officials also voicing objections to the EU’s stance.
Additionally, the Commission has opened an antitrust investigation into Meta concerning its updated policy that allows AI providers access to data from WhatsApp, amid concerns that this may violate competition laws within the bloc.
