EU Publishers Sue Google for Antitrust Violations Over AI Overviews in Search

Google faces a new antitrust lawsuit in the European Union over its AI Overviews feature, a tool introduced last year that summarizes search results using artificial intelligence. The complaint, filed by the Independent Publishers Alliance and co-signed by legal nonprofit Foxglove, alleges that Google is misusing web content from publishers without adequate compensation or consent. The group claims this practice has led to significant declines in traffic, readership, and revenue for news publishers, posing a substantial threat to the viability of independent journalism.

Rosa Curling, director at Foxglove, described the AI Overviews feature as an existential threat to independent news outlets and called on the European Commission and global regulators to enable publishers to opt out of the service. The complaint has also been submitted to the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority, signaling a coordinated international response to Google’s practices. The legal action follows similar lawsuits from major publishers worldwide, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and others, targeting the use of their content in AI models without proper licensing.

Google has countered the allegations, stating that the claims are based on incomplete data and that fluctuations in website traffic can result from various factors, such as seasonal demand and algorithmic changes. However, the EU has a track record of robust enforcement against Google, having imposed fines exceeding €8 billion, including a record €4.34 billion penalty in 2018 for antitrust violations.

The accuracy of Google’s AI Overviews has also come under scrutiny, with reports of erroneous search results undermining trust in the tool. As EU regulators continue to scrutinize digital platforms, this case underscores the growing tension between technology companies and the publishing sector over the use of proprietary content in AI-driven services.