Have the article read by OpenAI (Beta). Please note that AI translations may take some time to process.Brussels (dpa) – The European Commission has launched an antitrust investigation into Google’s use of online content for search results generated with artificial intelligence (AI), as well as videos uploaded on YouTube and used to train AI.
The probe will assess whether Google is breaching EU competition rules by not appropriately compensating publishers or offering them the possibility of refusing the use of their content for AI-generated summaries without losing access to Google Search, the Commission said.
“Indeed, many publishers depend on Google Search for user traffic, and they do not want to risk losing access to it,” a press release published on Tuesday said.
AI-generated search results have been criticised by publishers because Google first displays a summary of their content rather than a direct link to their pages online. This reduces traffic to their websites and thereby causes revenue losses from ads placed on their sites.
In addition, the Commission will investigate Google’s use of videos uploaded on its own platform YouTube to train generative AI models without offering content creators appropriate compensation or the possibility to opt out.
The Commission, which acts as the EU’s competition watchdog, also aims to investigate practices that bar rival AI developers from using YouTube content to train their models.
If the investigation concludes that Google has breached EU law, the Commission may impose a fine.
“A free and democratic society depends on diverse media, open access to information, and a vibrant creative landscape,” said EU antitrust chief Teresa Ribera.
“These values are central to who we are as Europeans. 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,” the EU Commission Vice President said. (9 December)
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