In brief
The European Commission is probing Google over potential misuse of online content for its AI-driven search result summaries. Concerns have emerged regarding whether publishers receive appropriate compensation and whether they have the option to opt-out of their content being utilized for AI training. Google argues that the investigation could hinder innovation in a competitive market.
The EU has opened an investigation into Google over its artificial intelligence (AI) summaries which appear above search results.
The European Commission said it would examine whether the firm used data from websites to provide this service - and if it failed to offer appropriate compensation to publishers.
It is also investigating how YouTube videos may have been used to improve its broader AI systems, and whether content creators were able to opt-out.
A Google spokesperson said the probe risks stifling innovation in a market that is more competitive than ever.
Europeans deserve to benefit from the latest technologies and we will continue to work closely with the news and creative industries as they transition to the AI era, they said.
The EU's investigation will also cover Google's AI Mode, which gives people an answer in a conversational style with some links to other pages.
Google's introduction of its AI Overview summaries was met with concerns it could result in fewer visitors to websites.
Ed Newton-Rex from AI fairness campaigners Fairly Trained said it was career suicide for people to not publish their work on YouTube or online, as Google essentially requires creators to allow their content to be used to build competing AI models.
This investigation is seen as critical for content creators who are concerned about the potential impact of AI on their rights and livelihoods.
