Google was on Tuesday hit with an EU antitrust investigation over its use of on-line content material for AI functions, marking the newest in a collection of crackdowns from the bloc on regulating U.S. massive tech firms.
The European Fee mentioned it was investigating whether or not Google had breached EU competitors guidelines through the use of the content material of net publishers, in addition to content material uploaded on the net video-sharing platform YouTube, for AI functions.
The probe will look at whether or not Google is distorting competitors by imposing unfair phrases and situations on publishers and content material creators, or by granting itself privileged entry to that content material and inserting builders of rival AI fashions at an obstacle, the Fee mentioned.
“AI is bringing outstanding innovation and lots of advantages for folks and companies throughout Europe, however this progress can not come on the expense of the rules on the coronary heart of our societies,” mentioned the bloc’s commissioner for competitors Teresa Ribera.
“For this reason we’re investigating whether or not Google might have imposed unfair phrases and situations on publishers and content material creators, whereas inserting rival AI fashions builders at an obstacle, in breach of EU competitors guidelines.”
The Fee mentioned it might examine to what extent the technology of AI Overviews and AI Mode by Google is predicated on net publishers’ content material with out applicable compensation and with out the likelihood for publishers to refuse with out dropping entry to Google Search.
In September, the EU fined Google practically 3 billion euros ($3.4 billion) for breaching antitrust guidelines by distorting competitors within the promoting expertise business.
On the time, Google’s international head of regulatory affairs, Lee-Anne Mulholland mentioned the EU choice was “improper” and the agency would enchantment. “There’s nothing anticompetitive in offering companies for advert patrons and sellers, and there are extra alternate options to our companies than ever earlier than,” she mentioned.
EU vs. U.S. massive tech
The transfer follows a slew of actions the bloc has taken towards U.S massive tech firms in latest days.
The Fee hit Elon Musk’s social media app X with a 120-million-euro ($140 million) high-quality on Friday for breaching transparency obligations round its promoting repository and “the misleading design of its ‘blue checkmark.'”
Musk referred to as for the European Union to be abolished in response, with key Republican officers additionally criticizing the choice.
Final week the EU additionally introduced it had opened an antitrust investigation into Meta over its new coverage on permitting AI suppliers’ entry to WhatsApp, which it mentioned might breach the bloc’s competitors guidelines.
CNBC has approached Google for remark.
