The European Commission has launched a new investigation into Google regarding its use of artificial intelligence. This investigation could have significant repercussions on the future of the tech giant and its influence on the European market. Discover the ins and outs of this case that could reshape the contours of digital competition.
The 3 key points not to miss
- The European Commission has opened an investigation to assess whether Google is abusing its dominant position to fuel its AI systems, notably through chatbots like Gemini.
- Google’s practices on YouTube are also being examined, with suspicions of locking out competitors’ developers from accessing the platform’s data.
- If the accusations are confirmed, Google could face significant fines, similar to those it has received in the past for similar practices.
Investigation into Google’s AI practices
On December 9, 2025, the European Commission announced the opening of an investigation to assess whether Google is abusing its dominant position in the artificial intelligence market. In particular, the European Union wants to know if the American company imposes “abusive general conditions” on publishers and content creators. This concerns Google’s use of data collected on the web to feed its AI tools, such as AI Overviews and AI Mode, which generate automated summaries directly accessible on its search engine.
This investigation could have major implications for the web economy, especially if Google is found guilty of distorting competition by disadvantaging competing AI developers.
Examination of YouTube practices
The European Commission is also interested in Google’s practices regarding YouTube. Content creators who publish on the platform must allow Google to use their data to train its AI models, without receiving financial compensation. At the same time, Google would prohibit competing companies from using this data to develop their own AI technologies.
This situation could hinder innovation and competition by limiting third-party developers’ access to a valuable data source.
Potential consequences for Google
If the accusations against Google are confirmed, the company could face colossal fines. In the past, the European Union has already sanctioned Google for abuse of dominant position, with fines totaling several billion euros. These precedents illustrate Brussels’ determination to regulate the behavior of tech giants in the European market.
An unfavorable decision could therefore not only be costly for Google but also influence how the company operates on the continent and beyond.
Google and its previous disputes with the European Commission
Google has a long history of conflicts with the European Commission regarding competition. In 2017, the company received a fine of 2.4 billion euros for favoring its price comparison service, Google Shopping, to the detriment of its competitors. In 2018, another sanction of 4.3 billion euros was imposed for anti-competitive practices related to Android, and in 2019, a fine of 1.49 billion euros was imposed concerning AdSense.
These cases show that Google is under close scrutiny in Europe, and that European regulators are ready to act to maintain fair competition in the digital market. The outcome of the new investigation could therefore be part of this ongoing regulatory effort.