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The European Commission announced Tuesday that it launched a formal antitrust investigation into whether Google violated EU competition laws by using content created by publishers and online platforms to train its generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools without adequate compensation or clear consent mechanisms.
The probe will examine whether the U.S.-based tech company imposed unfair terms on content creators, granting itself exclusive access to online materials while restricting competitors from using similar datasets.
According to the Commission, the investigation focuses on Google’s potential use of YouTube videos and content from news publishers to train its AI systems—raising concerns about market distortion and unequal access.
At the center of the inquiry is YouTube, Google’s video-sharing platform. The Commission indicated that creators uploading videos to YouTube have no option to opt out of their content being used to train Google’s generative AI models.
At the same time, YouTube’s policies prevent rival AI developers from using the same material, possibly limiting innovation and competition in the AI sector.
The Commission stated that "Google does not remunerate YouTube content creators for their content, nor does (it) allow them to upload their content on YouTube without allowing Google to use such data." This dual practice, monetizing content for AI training while blocking access for others, forms a core aspect of the competition concerns.
The probe also targets Google's AI-powered features integrated into its search engine, including AI-generated summaries that appear at the top of search results and "AI Mode," a conversational interface similar to a chatbot.
The Commission is investigating whether these features draw from external websites, including news outlets, without offering appropriate compensation or opt-out mechanisms to the content owners.
Such practices could place publishers at a disadvantage by reducing traffic to their original content while Google benefits from the aggregation and presentation of that information in its proprietary formats, the Commission noted.
The investigation, which has no fixed timeline, is the latest step in the European Union’s effort to regulate how artificial intelligence intersects with competition law.
European Commission competition chief Teresa Ribera noted that although AI is driving innovation across Europe, it must not come at the cost of core democratic values such as media pluralism and open access to information.
Ribera said the inquiry aims to assess whether Google’s practices are putting both content creators and rival AI developers at a disadvantage.
Following the announcement, a spokesperson for Google told AFP that the company rejects the allegations and warned that the investigation could hinder technological advancement.
"This complaint risks stifling innovation in a market that is more competitive than ever," the spokesperson said, adding that Europeans should continue to benefit from cutting-edge technologies and that the company will maintain collaboration with news and creative industries "as they transition to the AI era."
While opening the probe does not imply a violation has occurred, a confirmed breach of EU competition rules could lead to substantial financial penalties.
The case sits within a wider digital regulatory agenda that includes the Digital Markets Act (DMA) and the Digital Services Act (DSA), designed to promote fair competition and safeguard consumer rights in an increasingly AI-powered economy.
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