The European Union has launched a formal antitrust investigation into Google, marking the first time regulators take a deep, systemic look at how the company uses online content to train its AI models—and whether these practices distort competition across the web. The European Commission wants to determine whether Google’s AI-related systems, including AI Overviews, rely unfairly on publisher and creator content without offering adequate compensation or transparency.
Regulators Question Whether Google Unfairly Benefits From Creator Content
According to the Commission’s announcement, the investigation focuses on whether Google complies with EU competition rules when using content uploaded to its various platforms—such as Search, YouTube or other Google services—to train advanced AI models.
The key concern: Google may be granting itself preferential access to valuable training data while imposing unfair or imbalanced terms on publishers and creators. If true, this would hinder competitors in the AI industry, especially smaller or emerging model developers that cannot match Google’s access to large datasets.
Investigators will evaluate whether the company’s dominant position in the search market allows it to extract content for AI use without offering meaningful compensation or the ability for creators to opt out.
AI Overviews Under the Microscope
A central part of the inquiry is the controversial AI Overviews feature—Google’s generative summaries that appear at the top of search results. These summaries synthesize information from across the web to answer user queries instantly.
EU officials now want to understand:
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how extensively AI Overviews rely on third-party publisher content,
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whether creators are fairly compensated or notified,
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and whether Google’s integration of generative AI into search results reduces traffic to original sources.
If AI Overviews pull together information directly derived from publishers, the feature could significantly affect how users interact with search results—potentially diverting clicks away from the websites that originally produced the content.
The Commission is also interested in AI Mode, another generative feature, and the models behind it, investigating how deeply they depend on copyrighted or professionally produced material.
Concerns About YouTube Content Used for AI Training
Another major question relates to videos uploaded to YouTube. Under YouTube’s terms, creators must grant Google permission to use their content for various purposes—including training AI models.
However:
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Google prohibits rival developers from scraping or training on YouTube content.
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Creators have limited options to opt out of AI training.
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Compensation for AI-related use of YouTube videos may be insufficient or unclear.
Regulators are now exploring whether these conditions constitute unfair commercial practices, given Google’s dominant control over both search and video platforms.
A Pattern of Escalating Tensions Between Publishers and Google
This investigation follows increasing friction between European media organizations and Google. Just weeks earlier, publishers filed complaints about Google’s new spam policies, introduced in 2024, claiming the update led to dramatic ranking drops and loss of revenue.
According to complainants, these algorithmic changes pushed legitimate news outlets lower in search results while favoring other types of content—ultimately harming reader visibility and ad income.
The Commission is treating this second investigation as a high priority, suggesting that regulators recognize broader systemic issues in how Google interacts with the European media ecosystem.
Significant Financial Pressure on Google From EU Enforcement
The EU has a long history of scrutinizing Google’s market behavior. In September, regulators issued a €2.95 billion fine related to Google’s dominance in the online advertising market. Combined with earlier cases—including those involving Google Shopping and Android—the tech giant has now accumulated €11.16 billion in EU antitrust penalties over the past decade.
The new AI-related investigation adds yet another front to the company’s regulatory challenges in Europe, especially as AI integration accelerates across its platforms.
What This Investigation Means for the Future of AI and Search
The outcome could reshape how AI models gain access to training data, how much control creators retain over their content, and whether large platforms are required to negotiate licenses or pay compensation for AI use.
If the EU determines that Google’s practices distort competition:
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the company could face new fines,
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be forced to adjust its AI systems,
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or required to develop clearer opt-out mechanisms for creators.
Given the global influence of EU regulatory decisions, the investigation may also set precedents for how AI training data should be governed worldwide.
Image(s) used in this article are either AI-generated or sourced from royalty-free platforms like Pixabay or Pexels.
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