Google’s AI Overview feature facing antitrust complaint

The complaint, which comes from the European Commission, alleges that Google is abusing its position in the online search market.

According to a document received by Retuers, the European Commission has launched an antitrust complaint against search engine Google, regarding the use of its AI Overview feature. 

The complaint, which was recently filed (30 June), alleges that Google is abusing its key position in the online search market, to use AI-generated summaries and divert traffic away from independent publishers, resulting in less readership and advertising revenue. 

Launched first in the US in May of 2024, before being introduced to several other countries earlier this year, such as Ireland, India, Germany and Spain, Google AI Overviews are AI-generated summaries in response to a user’s query, that can also link back to suggested sites.  

They appear at the very top of the results page and can sometimes be followed by a round of AI Overview ads. Specifically if the question has a commercial element to it. Independent publishers, via the complaint, have made the argument that this is having a detrimental effect on their work, as Google positions itself at the top of its general search engine results.

Additionally, the complaint stated, “Publishers using Google Search do not have the option to opt out from their material being ingested for Google’s AI large language model training and/or from being crawled for summaries, without losing their ability to appear in Google’s general search results page.”

Speaking to Reuters, a Google spokesperson said, “New AI experiences in Search enable people to ask even more questions, which creates new opportunities for content and businesses to be discovered.

“The reality is that sites can gain and lose traffic for a variety of reasons, including seasonal demand, interests of users, and regular algorithmic updates to Search.”

The complaint has also attracted the attention and support of Open Network Movement and the UK-based non-profit, Foxglove Legal Centre, both of which advocate for democracy in tech and publishing spaces. 

Foxglove’s co-executive director, Rosa Curling told Reuters that “Independent news faces an existential threat, Google’s AI Overviews. That’s why with this complaint, Foxglove and our partners are urging the European Commission, along with other regulators around the world, to take a stand and allow independent journalism to opt out.”

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