European Commission opens antitrust investigation into Google over use of online content for AI purposes

The European Commission has opened an antitrust investigation into Google over concerns that the company may have relied on publisher content and YouTube videos to develop its AI services under conditions that disadvantage competitors and content creators.

Regulators are examining whether Google used its position in online search to obtain publisher content for AI features such as AI Overviews and AI Mode in ways that prevented publishers from refusing participation without risking reduced visibility in Google Search. Officials are assessing whether this dynamic placed publishers at a structural disadvantage when negotiating the use of their material.

The probe also covers YouTube. Investigators are evaluating claims that YouTube creators may have been required to permit the use of their videos for AI training without compensation, while competing AI developers are prohibited from accessing YouTube content. This could indicate a dual advantage for Google: privileged access to training data and the ability to block rivals from similar use.

The inquiry will determine whether these practices constitute an abuse of dominance in violation of Article 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU). While the European Commission intends to treat the case as a priority, no statutory deadline applies to the investigation.

Google and relevant national competition authorities have been formally notified as the process begins.