Publishers File EU Complaint Against Google AI Overviews

Photo: Reuters

The Independent Publishers Alliance has filed a legal complaint against Google with the European Commission. They said that Google is using its strong market position in online search to harm publishers by showing AI Overviews at the top of search results.

What is the issue?

The AI Overviews are summaries generated by artificial intelligence. They appear right at the top of Google search results. These summaries collect information from many websites, including news publishers, and show it directly to users. Because of this, people may not click on the original news websites.

Stay informed with the latest news. Follow DXB News Network on WhatsApp Channel 

The Independent Publishers Alliance said that Google’s AI Overviews are causing big problems for publishers. They said publishers are losing website traffic, fewer people are reading their articles, and they are losing money because of this. The Alliance feels that Google is using publishers’ hard work and content without giving them the benefits they deserve.

What did Google say?

A Google spokesperson told that their search engine still sends website clicks to publishers. The spokesperson said that these new AI features allow people to ask more types of questions, which helps users find new content and helps businesses become known to more people.

When did AI Overviews start?

Google started showing AI Overviews in May 2024. These AI-generated summaries often appear at the top of search results, replacing traditional website links that used to be there. Google said that the goal of these AI Overviews is to help people find information faster and easier.

However, many publishers, writers, and businesses were worried about this change. They thought that if people get the information they need from AI Overviews, they might not visit the actual websites, read full articles, or see ads. This could lead to less money for many websites that depend on online visitors.

What updates did Google make later?

In August 2024, Google made some changes to AI Overviews. They said they would show website links more clearly in these summaries. The aim was to help users find and visit publishers’ websites, businesses, and content creators more easily.

At that time, Hema Budaraju, Google’s Senior Director of Product Management for Search, wrote in a blog post that people were visiting a wider variety of websites because of AI Overviews. She also said that when people click on links from these AI Overviews, they spend more time on those websites. This, she explained, is good for websites as it brings better-quality visits.

Why are publishers still worried?

Despite these updates, publishers remain concerned. They feel that AI Overviews are using their content to give answers directly to users without encouraging them to visit the actual websites. For many news publishers, their income depends on people visiting their websites, reading full articles, and seeing ads.

Publishers think that if Google continues to use AI Overviews in this way, the entire system of online news and content creation might get affected. Content creators work hard to produce good articles, but if people stop visiting their websites, it will be hard for them to continue creating useful content.

What happens next?

The European Commission will look into this complaint. They will check if Google is using its market power unfairly. If the Commission finds that Google is harming competition and publishers, they can take action against Google under European antitrust laws.

For now, publishers hope that their complaint will help protect their websites, readers, and the future of online content.