EU launches antitrust probe into Google’s data use for AI


By AFP
December 9, 2025


The EU has announced a probe into whether Google breached antitrust rules over its use of online content to train its AI - Copyright AFP Aris MESSINIS

The EU announced Tuesday it had opened a probe to assess whether Google breached antitrust rules by using content put online by media and other publishers to train and provide AI services without appropriate compensation.

The European Commission said the investigation would look into concerns that the US tech giant might be distorting competition by imposing unfair terms and conditions on publishers and content creators, or by granting itself privileged access to their output.

“A free and democratic society depends on diverse media, open access to information, and a vibrant creative landscape,” the European Union’s competition chief, Teresa Ribera, said.

“AI is bringing remarkable innovation and many benefits for people and businesses across Europe, but this progress cannot come at the expense of the principles at the heart of our societies”.

The commission, the European Union’s antitrust regulator, said the probe would focus on two issues.

It would look into whether Google used YouTube videos to train its generative AI models without adequately paying the creators who post the clips online — and without offering them the possibility to refuse such use of their content.

“Google does not remunerate YouTube content creators for their content, nor does (it) allow them to upload their content on YouTube without allowing Google to use such data,” the commission said.

“At the same time, rival developers of AI models are barred by YouTube policies from using YouTube content to train their own AI models.”

The probe would also check whether the firm used online content from other sites, such as newspaper websites, to provide generative AI-powered services, again with no compensation or possibility to opt-out.

This relates in particular to Google’s AI-generated summaries that pop-up in response to a user’s search query and to the firm’s “AI Mode” — a search tab similar to a chatbot which answers users’ questions, the commission said.

“We are investigating whether Google may have imposed unfair terms and conditions on publishers and content creators, while placing rival AI models developers at a disadvantage, in breach of EU competition rules,” Ribera said.

There is no deadline for the commission to complete its investigation and the opening of a probe does not prejudge its outcome. The company, however, risks a hefty fine.

Intel sees record EU fine reduced further

By AFP
December 10, 2025


Intel image: — © AFP

The EU General Court dealt a blow to the European Commission on Wednesday in reducing what was initially a record fine against US chipmaker Intel to 237 million euros ($276 million) — a quarter of the original sum.

Brussels imposed an initial 1.06-billion-euro fine on the group in 2009, then a record amount, for abusing its dominant market position between 2002 and 2007 and attempting to drive its only serious competitor, AMD, out of the microprocessor market.

Intel has since engaged in lengthy legal proceedings to have the fine overturned.

In 2022, it won its case when the General Court, based in Luxembourg, partially invalidated the penalty and ordered the Commission to reassess the total fine.

In September 2023, Brussels set a new amount of 376 million euros.

But the US group again appealed.

In the new ruling published Wednesday, the court said it had “substantially upheld the 2023 decision”, but reduced the fine to 237 million euros.

The court justified the move citing, firstly, the “relatively limited number of computers” affected by certain restrictions Intel imposed on computer manufacturers such as Acer and Lenovo to hinder AMD.

Secondly, it cited a 12-month interval between “some of the anti-competitive practices”.