The European Union announced Tuesday an investigation to determine whether Google violated competition rules by using online content from media and other content creators for its AI services without providing adequate compensation.
The aim is to investigate whether the American technology giant could be it Distortion of competition by imposing unfair conditions on publishers and authors.
“The investigation will particularly examine whether Google is distorting competition impose unfair conditions on publishers and content creatorsor by granting itself privileged access to such content, thereby disadvantaging developers of competing models of artificial intelligence,” the commission said.
“A free and democratic society depends on media diversity, open access to information and a dynamic creative environment,” said the head of the European Union competition, Spain’s Teresa Ribera.
“AI brings remarkable innovation and many benefits to people and businesses across Europe, but this progress must not come at the expense of the principles that underpin our societies,” he added.
The Commission, which acts as the EU’s antitrust regulator, said the investigation would focus on two main issues.
The first is whether Google used YouTube videos to train its generative AI models without properly paying creators and without allowing you to refuse the use of their content.
“Google does not compensate YouTube content creators for their videos or allow them to upload them without authorizing Google to use this data,” the commission said. Content creators make money from the ads that appear when someone watches a video, not from the creation of the video.
“At the same time, YouTube’s policies prevent competing AI model developers from using the platform’s content to train their own systems,” the EU added.
The investigation will also examine whether the company used online content from other websites, such as newspaper websites, to provide generative AI services without compensation or opt-out.
That has an impact Summaries generated by Google AIthat appear in search engine results, and the company’s so-called AI Mode, a search tab similar to a chatbot that answers users’ questions, the commission explained.
The initiation of the investigation does not prejudge its outcome and there is no set deadline for the Commission to complete the investigation. However, Google could face a hefty fine.
With information from AFP and Reuters
About The Author
