Publishers Criticize Google’s AI Mode as Theft

Publishers criticize Google’s new AI Mode feature, which allows chatbot-like interactions in search, as theft. The News/Media Alliance (NMA), representing nearly 2,000 media members in the US and Canada, accuses Google of using publisher content without paying or offering an effective opt-out. Google argues it drives significant traffic to publisher sites and says selective opt-out is “extremely complex.” The EU Commission is investigating potential violations of copyright laws, the Digital Markets Act, Digital Services Act, and unfair competition rules related to Google’s AI summaries.