Google Faces EU Antitrust Investigation Over AI Training Data Practices

The European Commission opened an antitrust investigation into Google on Tuesday over the company's use of online content for artificial intelligence purposes. CNBC reports that regulators are examining whether Google breached EU competition rules. The probe focuses on content from web publishers and videos uploaded to YouTube.

EU competition commissioner Teresa Ribera stated the investigation will determine if Google imposed unfair terms on publishers and content creators. Regulators question whether Google provided appropriate compensation for content used in AI Overviews and AI Mode search features. The Commission also examines if publishers can refuse content usage without losing Google Search access.

Google responded that the complaint "risks stifling innovation in a market that is more competitive than ever." The company stated Europeans deserve access to latest technologies. This represents Google's second EU investigation in less than a month.

Potential Consequences and Legal Framework

The investigation carries serious financial implications for Google's parent company Alphabet. EU antitrust rules allow penalties reaching up to 10 percent of global annual revenue. The Commission did not provide a timeline for completing the inquiry.

Google already faces substantial EU penalties from previous violations. In September, regulators fined the company 2.95 billion euros for distorting competition in advertising technology. The new probe examines whether Google grants itself privileged access to training data. This could place competing AI model developers at a disadvantage.

Publishers depend heavily on Google Search for user traffic. Many fear refusing AI content usage could result in reduced search visibility. The Commission investigates whether this dependency creates unfair leverage.

Broader Industry and Regulatory Context

The investigation reflects growing tensions between US tech companies and European regulators over AI development practices. Euronews notes the probe comes days after the EU fined Elon Musk's X platform 120 million euros for Digital Services Act violations. The Trump administration has criticized European regulatory approaches as targeting only American companies.

Content creators increasingly demand compensation for AI training data usage. NPR reported in September that AI company Anthropic agreed to pay authors 1.5 billion dollars in a settlement. Authors received approximately 3,000 dollars per book after Anthropic used pirated copies for training its Claude chatbot.

The settlement established precedent that AI companies face consequences for unauthorized content usage. Publishers now pursue licensing frameworks similar to music royalty systems. Several major publishers launched payment systems requiring AI companies to compensate for data access.

The investigation may reshape how AI companies source training data globally. European AI Act provisions require transparency about data sources and copyright compliance. Companies developing AI systems in Europe must document their training data provenance.

Further Reading

For deeper insights into global adoption trends, our Alternative Financial Systems Index tracks regulatory frameworks and adoption metrics across 50 countries. The index provides comprehensive analysis of how different jurisdictions approach emerging technologies.