According to Reuters, the European Commission has opened a formal antitrust inquiry into Google to assess whether its handling of online publishers and YouTube content for AI-related purposes may breach EU competition rules. The EC’s statement indicates the probe will evaluate whether Google imposes unfair terms on publishers or secures privileged access to such content, potentially distorting competition and disadvantaging AI model developers and other rivals.

By scrutinizing data and licensing terms, the inquiry could influence the profitability and strategic leverage of content partners within the EU digital market. The focus remains on ensuring a level playing field for publishers, content creators, and AI developers, with implications for regulatory risk and market dynamics.

EU regulators continue to map antitrust risk in digital platforms, signaling heightened scrutiny of platform dominance and data access practices. Investors will stay attentive to procedural timelines and potential settlements that may redefine cross-border data use and AI training workflows.