Google Hit with EU Antitrust Complaint Over AI Overviews Feature
📷 Image source: techcrunch.com
Google is facing fresh regulatory scrutiny in the European Union (EU) over its AI Overviews feature, as antitrust officials allege the tech giant may be stifling competition in the search engine market. The European Commission confirmed it has received a formal complaint, marking the latest challenge to Google's dominance in digital services.\n\nAI Overviews, introduced earlier this year, provides summarized answers at the top of search results, drawing information from various sources. Critics argue this feature discourages users from clicking through to external websites, potentially harming publishers and rival services. Margrethe Vestager, the EU's competition chief, stated the Commission will assess whether the tool 'undermines fair competition' in the digital ecosystem.\n\nThis investigation adds to Google's growing list of regulatory battles in Europe, where the company has already faced multiple antitrust fines totaling billions of euros. A spokesperson for Google maintained that AI Overviews 'enhances user experience while driving meaningful traffic to publishers.' The outcome of this case could set important precedents for how AI-powered features are regulated in the EU's digital market.
