The European Commission has initiated a formal antitrust investigation to determine if Google has violated EU competition laws by utilizing content from web publishers and YouTube for artificial intelligence (AI) applications without proper compensation.

The investigation will scrutinize whether Google is distorting competition by imposing unfair terms on publishers and content creators, potentially disadvantaging developers of rival AI models. The Commission is particularly concerned about Google's generative AI services, such as 'AI Overviews' and 'AI Mode', which may be based on publishers' content without their consent or compensation.

Furthermore, the Commission will examine Google's use of YouTube content to train its AI models, where content creators are not compensated and are required to grant Google permission to use their data. This practice raises concerns about the competitive landscape, as rival AI developers are restricted from using YouTube content for their own models.

If the allegations are substantiated, these practices could constitute an abuse of a dominant position under Article 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) and Article 54 of the European Economic Area (EEA) Agreement. The Commission has emphasized that the opening of this investigation does not imply any predetermined outcome.

The investigation will proceed as a priority, with no set deadline for completion, as its duration will depend on various factors, including the complexity of the case and the cooperation of the involved parties.