European Union regulators launched a fresh antitrust investigation into Google on Tuesday, targeting the tech giant’s use of online content to power its artificial intelligence features. The European Commission suspects that Google may have breached competition rules by leveraging content from publishers and YouTube creators without proper compensation or consent.
The probe zeroes in on Google’s AI-driven services, including its AI Overviews — generated summaries that appear atop search results — and AI Mode, a chatbot-style interface. Regulators are examining whether these tools unfairly benefit from content scraped from the web, disadvantaging competitors who don’t have the same access. There are also concerns Google may be using videos from YouTube to train its AI models while denying rival developers similar opportunities.
“These practices could give Google an undue advantage and stifle fair competition in the booming AI sector,” the Commission noted.
This latest move comes amid broader EU scrutiny of Big Tech’s role in shaping the digital landscape, with Brussels recently opening similar investigations into WhatsApp and imposing a €120 million fine on Elon Musk’s X for regulatory violations. While the United States has pushed back on what it sees as selective targeting of American tech firms, EU officials insist the probes are based solely on behavior, not company nationality.
“This complaint risks stifling innovation in a market that is more competitive than ever,” Google said in response. The company defended its AI practices, arguing that it is helping both users and content creators transition to the AI era.
The investigation is being conducted under traditional EU competition laws rather than the newer Digital Markets Act. If violations are found, Google could face penalties up to 10% of its annual global revenue.
The Commission has informed U.S. authorities and emphasized that the case remains open-ended, with no fixed timeline for resolution. In the meantime, Google will have the opportunity to respond to the allegations as the probe moves forward.
