TLDRs;
- EU launches major probe into Google’s AI tools and publisher compensation practices.
- Investigation focuses on AI features that may rely on unlicensed or underpaid web content.
- Past Google cases in the EU show probes can last 3–7 years with heavy fines.
- Rights-tech startups and CMOs may gain ground as licensing frameworks tighten.
The European Union has launched yet another sweeping antitrust investigation into Google, this time targeting how the tech giant uses artificial intelligence to gather, organize, and present online content.
Regulators say the probe will examine whether Google’s increasingly central AI products, including AI Overviews and AI Mode, rely heavily on material from online publishers without offering adequate compensation or fair contractual terms. If wrongdoing is found, the case could reshape the balance of power between AI platforms and the content creators whose work fuels them.
EU officials argue the new inquiry is necessary to safeguard media sustainability and ensure that emerging AI markets do not entrench dominant players before meaningful rules and competition can take hold.
“This investigation is about protecting the online press and ensuring competition in the next generation of AI services,” said EU antitrust commissioner Teresa Ribera.
The wording reflects the bloc’s broader strategy: intervene early enough in AI infrastructure to avoid repeating past patterns of digital concentration.
AI Features Under the Microscope
At the center of the investigation are Google’s AI-powered search enhancements, which summarize information pulled from across the web. Regulators want to understand whether these features reduce traffic to publishers, extract too much value from the open web, or set conditions that creators have little choice but to accept.
The EU is specifically questioning whether Google uses publisher content in ways that require licensing under European copyright law, and whether publishers are being compensated appropriately. The inquiry also aims to assess whether these AI tools create an uneven playing field, making it harder for rivals to build competing products without access to similar data.
Years-Long Process Expected
If history is any guide, the road ahead is long. Previous Google cases, the Shopping search dispute, Android bundling battle, and AdSense advertising fight, each stretched three to seven years from probe to final decision, collectively resulting in more than €8 billion in fines.
While these penalties were substantial, many critics say they produced limited structural change. Google generally avoided forced divestitures by offering measures such as app unbundling and choice screens. The EU’s more recent ad tech ruling included a €2.95 billion fine and a tight 60-day window for Google to propose remedies, hinting at a more urgent enforcement posture. Yet even those decisions remain subject to lengthy appeals.
If the new AI investigation follows the traditional pace, a Statement of Objections could land in one to three years, with final rulings potentially several years after that.
Publishers Push for Fair Payment
The case is unfolding amid escalating tensions between tech giants and news organizations in Europe. Article 15 of the EU Copyright Directive grants press publishers a distinct right over the reuse of their content online, ensuring authors receive a share of licensing revenue.
Publishers in France have already filed competition complaints alleging that Google’s licensing frameworks fall short of EU expectations. Their arguments, bolstered by Europe’s strong tradition of copyright enforcement, are likely to factor into the Commission’s assessment of fair compensation.
New Opportunities for Rights-Tech
As the EU ramps up oversight, a shift is emerging in how digital rights for AI-era content might be managed. In countries such as Denmark and the Netherlands, collective management organizations (CMOs) have become central to licensing frameworks, drawing from long-established music rights models.
This evolving landscape opens the door for rights-tech startups offering tools like provenance tracking, automated licensing, and digital royalty distribution. These systems could become critical infrastructure as the EU pushes toward scalable and transparent AI-content licensing models.
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