EU opens Google antitrust probe over AI use of online content

BRUSSELS – Google is being probed by the European Union over whether it has abused its dominance by using its own artificial intelligence tools to squeeze out competition.

Its commission said on Dec 9 it will look at whether the Alphabet Inc unit has distorted competition by imposing unfair terms
on content creators and giving its own AI model an advantage over its rivals.

The EU watchdog will also examine to what extent the generation of AI Overviews and AI Mode by Google is based on web publishers’ content and whether they are paid appropriately for that.

“This case is once again a strong signal of our commitment to protecting the online press and other content creators, and to ensuring fair competition in emerging AI markets,” Ms Teresa Ribera, the EU’s antitrust commissioner, said in a speech in Brussels on Dec 9. BLOOMBERG