By Key Points
- Google AI Overviews Face Major EU Antitrust Complaint
- Accuse Google of misusing content, harming web traffic & revenue
- Claim publishers can’t opt out without vanishing from search
- Google defends AI summaries, says traffic data is incomplete
Google is once again under regulatory fire in Europe. The Independent Publishers Alliance, a coalition of media organizations, has lodged a formal antitrust complaint with the European Commission over the tech giant’s controversial AI Overviews feature in Google Search.
These AI Overviews, introduced just over a year ago, present AI-generated summaries at the top of search results, often giving users direct answers without requiring them to click on any external links. While helpful for users, publishers argue that this convenience comes at a cost.
According to the complaint, Google is unfairly using publisher content to train and display its AI summaries without proper licensing or consent. Even worse, publishers say they have no real way to opt out without sacrificing visibility on the world’s largest search engine.
So, Google $GOOG is facing (another) antitrust complaint over its newly introduced AI Overviews.
First of all, we’re not surprised. If there’s one thing the EU excels at, it’s regulation. But this complaint doesn’t quite sit right with us.
A group called the Independent… pic.twitter.com/XVJBWOaSKt
— The Dutch Investors 🦁 (@DutchInvestors) July 5, 2025
This, they claim, is “abuse of dominance” under EU competition law. The Alliance says AI Overviews are cannibalizing web traffic, decreasing readership, and causing significant losses in advertising revenue — particularly for smaller and independent media outlets.
In short, the publishers argue that Google is building a smarter search experience on the backs of their original work, without sharing the benefits or allowing fair participation in the system.
For many, the move mirrors growing concerns about how AI tools are reshaping the digital content economy. We’ve already seen similar issues emerge, like Cloudflare blocking AI data scrapers to protect web content from unauthorized use.
Google Faces EU Antitrust Complaint Over AI Overviews
The Independent Publishers Alliance has filed an antitrust complaint with the European Commission, accusing Google of harming publishers by using their content in AI Overviews without proper consent.
The group says Google’s… pic.twitter.com/H0UjqhWxau
— TheTechFin (@thetechfinhq) July 7, 2025
Google says AI drives discovery, not damage
In response to the complaint, Google told Reuters that AI Overviews are designed to improve the user experience by enabling people to ask more complex and conversational questions. According to the company, this creates new pathways for users to discover content and for businesses to reach their audiences.
Google also dismissed the claim that traffic loss is solely due to AI. A spokesperson argued that web traffic naturally fluctuates and can vary based on many factors, not just changes in search features. They also noted that claims made by publishers are often based on incomplete or selective data.
Google’s AI Overviews faces EU antitrust complaint, Reuters reports
Google is facing an EU antitrust complaint over its AI Overviews from a group of independent publishers, Foo Yun Chee of Reuters reports, citing documents seen by the journal.
— DonCorleone77 (@CorleoneDon77) July 7, 2025
Still, that defense may not be enough in the EU. Regulators have been tightening rules on tech giants, especially under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which aims to stop large platforms from unfairly using their power to dominate digital markets.
This complaint could trigger another lengthy investigation — and if found in violation, Google could face heavy fines or be forced to modify how AI Overviews work in Europe.
As AI becomes more embedded in consumer tools — from Google’s Doppl AI-powered outfit try-on to personalized search engines — the stakes are rising fast.
Mounting global pressure on AI search tools
This isn’t the first time Google has faced backlash for its AI Overviews. Since their launch, the feature has been scrutinized for misleading information, questionable sourcing, and now, potential legal violations.
But the implications go beyond just this one feature. The complaint touches on a broader concern across the digital publishing industry: how AI and automation are affecting access to information and the sustainability of journalism.
Around the world, media organizations are grappling with the same issue: tech platforms reusing content for AI applications without fair compensation. In Canada and Australia, similar concerns have led to new laws requiring platforms to pay publishers for news content.
In the U.S., conversations around content licensing, data usage, and AI training are heating up as well. Subscription-based AI search tools like Perplexity Max are changing how users access web information — and how publishers are (or aren’t) included in that ecosystem.
Introducing Perplexity Max. Our most valuable subscription tier yet.
Built for those who demand more, Max gets you unlimited Labs queries,
access to a broader suite of frontier models, and early access to products like Comet. pic.twitter.com/suLzQNS6Q8— Perplexity (@perplexity_ai) July 2, 2025
At the same time, tech industry shakeups are everywhere — from Microsoft’s surprise exit from Pakistan to Microsoft laying off more employees in its AI and cloud divisions. It’s clear that the shift toward AI is disrupting business models across the board.
The EU complaint could become a defining case in how governments regulate the use of AI in search and digital content. If the European Commission sides with the publishers, it could set a precedent for AI transparency, data rights, and digital fairness — reshaping how AI search tools operate across the web.
For now, publishers are drawing a line in the sand: either share the value or stop using their content without consent. As AI continues to evolve, the balance between innovation and fairness is becoming one of the biggest battles in tech.
What's your reaction?
