People Inc CEO Neil Vogel has sharply accused Google of being the worst offender in using copyrighted content without compensation to train its AI tools. He claims that media companies produce high‑quality content only to see it harvested by Google algorithms—through articles, images, and video—without attribution or payment.
Vogel’s criticism is reminiscent of early disputes between publishers and Google two decades ago, when Google’s search engine would display snippets of original work without offering fair recompense. Vogel argues that today’s AI systems take that issue further by absorbing content internally—making it harder for content creators to track or benefit from their intellectual property.
The current frustration is that Google’s AI tools, including features that generate summaries or recommendations, use material behind paywalls or copyright protections. Media firms say this undermines the value of original reporting and creative work. Vogel emphasized that while many publishers tolerated snippet‑based search benefits in past years because they drove web traffic, today’s AI‑driven summaries reduce clicks—and income—while invisibly consuming content.
The dispute underlines a growing tension between media companies and tech platforms as AI gets more embedded in search, translation, and content recommendation. Media executives are pushing for rules that force tech firms to pay for the copyrighted works they use, go beyond attribution, and allow creators to opt out.
The matter also has regulatory momentum. Courts and competition watchdogs in multiple countries are beginning to examine whether Google’s use of content to train AI violates copyright laws or competition rules. Vogel’s statements may add pressure to legal and legislative efforts aimed at protecting intellectual property in the AI age.
