- PMC claims Google’s AI reduces publisher traffic and revenue.
- Lawsuit argues AI Overviews misuse content without consent.
- Outcome could set precedent for media rights versus AI growth.
Google is under fire again. Penske Media Corporation (PMC), the media conglomerate behind publications like Rolling Stone, Billboard, Variety, and Hollywood Reporter, has filed a lawsuit claiming Google illegally uses news content to power its AI summaries, harming publishers’ revenue and digital presence.
Publishers Claim Google Oversteps Bounds
PMC alleges that Google’s AI Overviews, launched last year, go beyond traditional search indexing. While publishers have long allowed Google to crawl content in exchange for traffic, the lawsuit argues Google now ties that access to AI uses that cannibalize site visits. PMC warns that the company’s clicks from Google searches have declined since AI Overviews rolled out, directly impacting ad, subscription, and affiliate revenue.
Jay Penske, PMC’s CEO, stressed the need to protect the integrity of journalism: “We have a responsibility to proactively fight for the future of digital media and preserve its integrity — all of which is threatened by Google’s current actions.”
Google Defends AI Overviews
A Google spokesperson, José Castañeda, maintains that AI Overviews improve search experiences and broaden content discovery. “Every day, Google sends billions of clicks to sites across the web, and AI Overviews send traffic to a greater diversity of sites,” he said. The company also described the lawsuit as “meritless” and pledged a robust legal defense.
Despite Google’s assurances, Penske argues the tech giant leverages its monopoly to pressure publishers into contributing content for AI training without consent. The only alternative, according to PMC, would be to remove content from Google search entirely — a devastating step for any media business.
Broader Implications for Media and AI
This lawsuit highlights a growing tension between AI development and content creators. While Google and other tech companies aim to enhance search with AI, publishers argue these tools undermine the traffic and revenue that sustain quality journalism. Similar copyright and antitrust complaints are already underway against AI firms in the U.S. and Europe, signaling a wider industry battle over how AI interacts with original content.
Also Read: Google’s Gemini AI Rated High Risk for Kids, Warns Common Sense Media
As AI becomes more central to search and digital media, the outcome of Penske’s lawsuit could set critical precedents for the rights of publishers versus the ambitions of tech giants.
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