London, December 10, 2025
The European Commission has launched a formal investigation into Google’s use of AI-generated summaries in search results amid concerns over unauthorized use of premium publisher content and its impact on web traffic and revenue for media companies. The probe seeks to address issues of consent, compensation, and transparency in AI integration within Google’s search ecosystem.
Impact on Publishers and Traffic Decline
Research shows a median 10% annual decline in referral traffic from Google Search to publishers, with some non-news brands losing up to 14%, coinciding with the rollout of Google’s AI-powered overviews. These AI summaries provide direct answers atop search pages, reducing clicks to original sources and diverting user engagement away from content creators.
Legal and Ethical Concerns
The investigation centers on whether Google’s AI summaries unlawfully utilize premium content without explicit permission or fair compensation to publishers. This raises critical legal and ethical questions about copyright and the responsible use of proprietary content in AI training and display, highlighting the tension between technological innovation and protecting creators’ economic interests.
Broader Regulatory and Competitive Context
This EC inquiry aligns with ongoing legal actions in the United States, where regulatory bodies and private litigants challenge Google’s dominance in search and its integration of AI features. European authorities are scrutinizing whether these AI applications entrench Google’s market position at the expense of competition, media plurality, and the open web.
European Commission’s Regulatory Objectives
The Commission aims to enforce transparency regarding Google’s AI data sourcing and model training practices and to ensure that media publishers retain control over their content and receive appropriate remuneration. The probe reflects wider regulatory efforts to prevent unauthorized content exploitation and safeguard economic incentives for quality journalism and creative industries.
Google’s policy standards emphasize the importance of original, trustworthy, and people-first content, underscoring the necessity for clear disclosures about AI use and the provenance of summarized material. The investigation may push for alignment with these principles to enhance reliability and user trust.
As regulatory pressures mount globally, Google faces significant scrutiny over how generative AI reshapes content ecosystems. The outcome of this investigation will be pivotal in balancing AI innovation with equitable content use, preserving the sustainability of media creators, and maintaining a diverse and competitive digital information environment.