Google is facing a lawsuit from US media firm Penske Media over summaries generated by artificial intelligence (AI) that appear above search results.
Penske, publisher of Rolling Stone, Billboard and Hollywood Reporter, claims the AI summaries reduce traffic to its websites by providing users with ready-made answers, bypassing the need to visit the original sources.
The company said the move threatens free-content publishers that rely on ad revenue from site visits.
The lawsuit, filed in a Washington court, alleges that Google uses its dominance to force publishers to provide content for AI features without separate consent or payment, violating US antitrust laws. Last year, the same court found Google held a monopoly in search.
"If unchecked, these anticompetitive practices will destroy the business model that supports independent journalism," the complaint reads.
A Google spokesman said AI summaries help users find information faster and create new opportunities to discover content online. Google directs "billions of clicks" to other sites daily, and AI overviews can broaden that distribution, the company added.
The case comes amid growing competition from rivals offering AI-powered tools that provide direct answers instead of linking to websites. Despite the new challengers, Google's business continues to expand rapidly.
