EU Opens Antitrust Probe into Google’s Use of Online Content for AI

The European Union opened an antitrust investigation into Google on Tuesday, focusing on the company’s use of online content for artificial intelligence applications. The probe is the latest regulatory action by the bloc targeting major U.S. technology firms.

The European Commission said it will examine whether Google breached EU competition rules by using material from web publishers and content uploaded to YouTube to develop AI systems. The inquiry will consider whether Google distorted competition by imposing unfair contractual terms on publishers and creators or by obtaining privileged access to content that disadvantages developers of competing AI models, the Commission said.

“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,” EU competition commissioner Teresa Ribera said. “This is why we are investigating whether Google may have imposed unfair terms and conditions on publishers and content creators, while placing rival AI model developers at a disadvantage, in breach of EU competition rules.”

The Commission said it will investigate the extent to which Google’s AI Overviews and AI Mode rely on publishers’ content without appropriate compensation and whether publishers can opt out without losing access to Google Search.

A Google spokesperson told CNBC that the complaint “risks stifling innovation in a market that is more competitive than ever,” adding that Europeans deserve access to the latest technologies and that the company will continue to work with news and creative industries as they transition to the AI era.

In September, the EU fined Google nearly €3 billion ($3.4 billion) for breaching antitrust rules by distorting competition in the advertising‑technology sector. At the time, Google’s global head of regulatory affairs, Lee‑Anne Mulholland, called the decision “wrong” and said the company would appeal, arguing there is nothing anticompetitive about providing services for ad buyers and sellers and that alternatives to its services are more plentiful than ever.

The investigation follows a series of recent enforcement actions by the Commission against U.S. tech companies. Last Friday, the Commission fined Elon Musk’s social media platform X €120 million ($140 million) for breaching transparency obligations related to its advertising repository and for the “deceptive design” of its verification mark. Musk responded by calling for the European Union to be abolished, and the decision drew criticism from several prominent Republican officials.

Last week the EU also opened an antitrust probe into Meta over a policy change that allows AI providers access to WhatsApp, which the Commission said may violate competition rules.