According to Computerworld, the European Commission has formally opened an antitrust investigation into Google’s AI training practices. The probe specifically targets how Google used content from web publishers and video from YouTube to train its Gemini AI models without first seeking permission from rights holders. This move comes just as Google is gaining significant ground in the AI market against OpenAI, with OpenAI’s own CEO, Sam Altman, recently issuing an internal memo warning his company about Google’s progress with Gemini 3. Google itself claims its enterprise AI tools, like those bundled in Gemini, can save customers 105 minutes per user each week.
The Stakes for Google and AI
This isn’t just a boring regulatory squabble. Here’s the thing: the entire premise of modern AI is built on training models with massive, publicly available datasets from the internet. If the EU decides Google crossed a line by using YouTube videos and publisher content without explicit licenses, it could throw a wrench into the core engine of AI development. Google’s huge advantage has always been its vast, owned ecosystem—Search, YouTube, Books. Being told it can’t use that data freely to build its next big thing would be a massive blow. And let’s be real, that “105 minutes saved” claim they tout? That’s the exact kind of bundled productivity advantage regulators are looking at with a very skeptical eye.
Wider Ripples for Everyone Else
So what does this mean for the rest of us? For publishers and creators, it’s a potential win. They’ve felt ripped off for years, watching their content fuel trillion-dollar companies. This investigation could force a new licensing regime where they actually get paid. For other AI companies, it’s a double-edged sword. They might cheer Google getting clipped, but they’re probably sweating too. If the precedent is set that you need opt-in permission for training data, the cost and complexity of building AI just went through the roof. Basically, it could slow down everyone. For enterprise users banking on these tools, the worry is uncertainty. Will the features they’re integrating today be legal tomorrow? Or will they become more expensive if Google has to pay new data royalties?
The Real Battle: Bundling
Look, the core of this antitrust case likely isn’t just about copyright. It’s about bundling and leveraging dominance. The EU suspects Google is using its dominance in search and video to unfairly supercharge its AI, locking customers into its ecosystem. It’s the same old playbook, but with a shiny new AI coat of paint. By integrating Gemini deeply into Workspace, Cloud, and Android, Google makes it the path of least resistance. Why go shop for a standalone AI when Gemini is right there, baked in, and supposedly saving you over two hours a week? The EU’s job is to ask if that’s just good product integration or an anti-competitive walled garden. This investigation is the opening shot in what will be a defining war over how AI giants are allowed to operate.
