The European Union initiated an antitrust investigation into Google over allegations that the company unfairly uses content from web publishers and YouTube creators to gain an advantage in artificial intelligence (AI).
The probe concerns claims that Google has breached competition rules by restricting web publishers and YouTube creators. The company has allegedly used content from these sources for features such as AI Overviews and AI Mode in Search, and has fed YouTube content into its generative AI models without offering appropriate compensation or the ability to refuse such use. These actions directly relate to the emerging concept of “Google Zero,” where Google Search may no longer direct users to third-party sites, potentially reducing their traffic and revenue.
The European Commission will examine the ability of web publishers to prevent their content from being used in Google’s AI features without losing access to Search, a platform many publishers rely on for user traffic. The Commission also notes that YouTube’s policies permit Google to train its AI models on uploaded content while prohibiting the use of such content to train rival AI models.
The EU has stated it will conduct the probe “as a matter of priority” but has not set an official deadline. If found to have violated the bloc’s competition laws, Google could face fines reaching up to 10% of its global annual revenue. Google’s parent company, Alphabet, reported an annual revenue of $350 billion in 2024, which could lead to potential fines as high as $35 billion.
“A free and democratic society depends on diverse media, open access to information, and a vibrant creative landscape. These values are central to who we are as Europeans,” European competition commissioner Teresa Ribera said. “AI is bringing remarkable innovation and many benefits for people and businesses across Europe, but this progress cannot come at the expense of the principles at the heart of our societies.”
