The European Commission has opened a formal antitrust investigation into Alphabet’s Google. The probe focuses on Google’s use of content for artificial intelligence training.
Regulators will assess whether Google breached EU competition rules. The investigation specifically targets Google’s use of web publishers' and YouTube creators' content to train its AI models. The EC alleges Google failed to provide fair compensation or allow creators to opt out.
The Commission is concerned Google may be distorting competition. This distortion stems from giving its own AI tools, such as AI Overviews in Search, an unfair market advantage.
This investigation marks another significant regulatory challenge for the tech giant in Europe. If the EC concludes Google abused a dominant market position, the company faces substantial fines. Penalties could reach up to 10% of its global annual revenue. The investigation will proceed as a matter of priority, though it has no legal deadline for conclusion.