EU launches probe into Google’s use of online content for AI purposes
The European Commission has opened a formal antitrust investigation into Google to determine whether the company violated EU competition rules by using content from web publishers and YouTube creators to train and power its artificial intelligence (AI) services without proper compensation or consent.
According to the Commission, the probe will focus on whether Google unfairly exploited its dominant market position by imposing restrictive terms on publishers and content creators and granting itself privileged access to their material, while limiting rival AI developers’ access to the same content.
Regulators are particularly concerned about Google’s use of publisher content for its AI-powered search features, including “AI Overviews” and “AI Mode,” which generate automated summaries and conversational responses above traditional search results. The Commission said it will investigate whether these services rely on publishers’ content without fair payment and without giving publishers a real option to opt out without risking their visibility in Google Search.
The investigation will also examine YouTube content, assessing whether Google unlawfully used videos and other creator material to train its generative AI models. The Commission noted that YouTube creators are currently required to allow Google to use their content for AI training, receive no direct compensation for this use, and are not allowed to refuse data use without losing access to the platform. At the same time, YouTube policies reportedly prevent competing AI developers from using the same content.
If confirmed, these practices could constitute an abuse of a dominant market position under Article 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) and Article 54 of the European Economic Area (EEA) Agreement.
The Commission has informed Google and EU member state competition authorities about the proceedings and stated that the case will be treated as a priority. It emphasized that the opening of the investigation does not prejudge its outcome and that there is no fixed deadline for concluding antitrust inquiries. (ILKHA)
LEGAL WARNING: All rights of the published news, photos and videos are reserved by İlke Haber Ajansı Basın Yayın San. Trade A.Ş. Under no circumstances can all or part of the news, photos and videos be used without a written contract or subscription.
A major new study by the Oxford Internet Institute and the AI Security Institute has revealed that conversational artificial intelligence systems can significantly influence people’s political beliefs, raising serious concerns about the future of democratic processes and election integrity.
The European Commission has imposed a €120 million fine on X (formerly Twitter) for multiple violations of the Digital Services Act (DSA), marking the first non-compliance decision issued under the landmark EU regulation.
Researchers at the University of Bradford in the United Kingdom are developing an advanced system that uses robot dogs to improve artificial intelligence–driven early wildfire detection.
People implanted with Elon Musk’s Neuralink brain chip can now operate robotic arms through thought alone, marking a new stage in the company’s brain–computer interface (BCI) trials as capabilities expand beyond controlling digital devices.