EU-Google antitrust case: European Commission opens probe against tech giant over market dominance using AI tools
According to the news agency, the European Union’s (EU) antitrust regulator, the European Commission, launched an investigation into the US-based search engine and technology giant Google, alleging that the company abused its market dominance to squeeze its competitors by using artificial intelligence (AI) tools. Bloomberg On Tuesday, December 9, 2025.
The European Commission said the regulator will investigate whether Google parent Alphabet Inc. distorted competition by allegedly imposing unfair conditions on content creators, according to the agency’s report.
The antitrust watchdog will also reportedly investigate whether the company’s own artificial intelligence model gives it a competitive advantage over rival tech companies.
The EU will also investigate the extent to which Google used the ‘AI Overview’ and ‘AI Mode’ based on the web publisher’s content and whether it was appropriately paid for.
What does the EU say?
The European Union’s Antitrust Commissioner emphasized that this move is an effort to protect online press and other content creators in order to maintain fair competition in emerging artificial intelligence markets.
“This case is once again a strong signal of our determination to protect online press and other content creators and ensure fair competition in emerging artificial intelligence markets,” EU Antitrust Commissioner Teresa Ribera said in Brussels on Tuesday, citing the news agency.
$3.4 billion EU penalty threat
Google has offered to change its ad tech products and search results in a bid to stave off the threat of a $3.4 billion penalty in November 2025, according to an earlier report by the news agency.
The US-based technology giant has been under the radar of the EU since March 2025, after allegations emerged that the company preferred its services such as Google Shopping, Google Hotels and Google Flights to other competitors in the market.
Google’s parent company, Alphabet, has announced that to avoid a billion-dollar penalty, the company will offer publishers the option to set different minimum prices for bidders on Google’s Ad Manager platform. Bloomberg On November 14, 2025.
The company was also ready to increase interoperability across ad tech services to give its publishers and advertisers greater flexibility of choice when using Google services, according to the agency report.
Teresa Ribera has previously said that the only level playing field for Google would be to divest unspecified parts of its ad tech arm after dealing with fines imposed by the Commission and implementing incremental fixes for alleged antitrust violations.
But Google’s stance has not changed because the company still opposes the European antitrust watchdog’s September decision and the tech giant plans to appeal the decision.
