The European Commission has launched a formal antitrust case into Google over allegations the company is using content from web publishers and YouTube creators for its AI services in breach of EU competition rules.
The probe, announced on 9 December 2025 in Brussels, focuses on whether Google has imposed unfair terms on publishers and creators while granting itself privileged access to vast amounts of online content used to train and operate services such as AI Overviews and AI Mode. The Commission fears these practices may disadvantage rival AI developers and reinforce Google’s dominance in search and online video.
According to the competition authority, Google may have used web publishers’ material to produce AI-generated summaries and conversational search results without offering adequate compensation – and without allowing publishers to refuse the use of their content without risking loss of visibility in Google Search. Many media outlets depend heavily on Google for traffic, making it difficult to opt out of content usage that fuels the company’s AI features.
Regulators are also scrutinising Google’s handling of YouTube content. Creators who upload videos are required to grant Google permission to use that content for a range of purposes, including training generative AI models. The Commission notes that creators receive no compensation for such use and cannot upload videos without agreeing to these terms. Meanwhile, YouTube’s policies prevent rival AI developers from training models on the same material, potentially giving Google an unfair competitive advantage.
If confirmed, these practices could amount to an abuse of a dominant market position, in breach of Article 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and the equivalent provision of the EEA Agreement.
Teresa Ribera, Executive Vice-President for Clean, Just and Competitive Transition, said the stakes extend far beyond technology markets.
“A free and democratic society depends on diverse media, open access to information, and a vibrant creative landscape. These values are central to who we are as Europeans,” she stated. “AI is bringing remarkable innovation and many benefits for people and businesses across Europe, but this progress cannot come at the expense of the principles at the heart of our societies. This is why we are investigating whether Google may have imposed unfair terms and conditions on publishers and content creators, while placing rival AI models developers at a disadvantage, in breach of EU competition rules.”
There is no legal deadline for completing the inquiry, which the Commission says it will conduct “as a matter of priority.” Google and national competition authorities have been notified, and further details will be published under case number AT.40983 on the Commission’s competition website.
