European Union regulators have opened an in-depth investigation into Google’s use of AI-generated summaries in search results, amid concerns the feature may harm competition and breach copyright rules. The probe follows complaints from news publishers and digital media groups across Europe.
At the centre of the case is Google’s AI Overview feature, which generates automatic summaries at the top of search results using information pulled from multiple sources. Publishers argue that these summaries reduce the need for users to click through to original articles, cutting traffic and threatening advertising revenues at a time when many media outlets are already under pressure.
Some publishers have also raised concerns about how their content is used to train and generate AI responses, questioning whether they have given proper consent or receive fair compensation. They claim the system benefits Google while shifting economic risk onto content creators.
Google has defended the feature, saying AI summaries are designed to improve user experience and help people discover information more easily. The company maintains that search still sends billions of clicks to websites each day and says it works closely with publishers to support a healthy online ecosystem.
The investigation is part of the EU’s broader push to regulate powerful technology companies under the Digital Markets Act and Digital Services Act. If regulators conclude that Google has violated EU rules, the company could face significant fines or be required to change how AI-generated summaries appear in search results.
The case is expected to be closely watched, as it may shape how AI tools are deployed across search engines and how content creators are protected in the age of generative AI.