EU publishers file antitrust complaint against Google's AI services

The European Publishers Council said that by embedding AI-generated summaries as well as chatbot-style responses into its search platform Google has changed its search function from a referral service into an 'answer engine' that ensures the user remains on Google’s own site rather than clicking onto the publisher's website

Publishers said Google and its parent-company Alphabet are 'abusing their dominant position in general search services', through the 'deployment of AI Overviews and AI Mode within Google Search'. File photo

European publishers have filed a formal antitrust complaint with the European Commission against Google for "abusing" their dominant position in search services by taking “publishers’ content without consent” and using it to create AI Overview results that diverts traffic away from websites.

The European Publishers Council (EPC) said Google and its parent-company Alphabet are “abusing their dominant position in general search services”, in breach of Article 102 TFEU, through the “deployment of AI Overviews and AI Mode within Google Search”.