Publisher attack Google, calls AI mode of the search “theft”

Google starts AI mode in the USA and receives massive criticism of publishers. The News/Media Alliance, which represents over 2000 news portals, accuses the technology giant “Theft”. Reason: The AI ​​brings the media for important advertising revenue.

Google’s AI offensive ensures turmoil

Google announced at its developer conference I/O that the AI ​​mode for the search that has already been announced in the United States. The new function integrates a AI chat bot directly into the search engine. Instead of clicking on the links as before, users from Google receive direct answers – without having to visit the original sources.

This is a threat to publishers, because clicks are of course essential for advertising. However, the new design of the Google search could move the traditional links significantly further down, which is why industry insiders expect up to 40 percent. The News/Media Alliance which represents more than 2000 news portals, therefore exercises sharp criticism of Google’s approach (via The verge). In an official message, the association clearly breaks its displeasure and accuses the technology group of unfair practices.

Links were the last commendable property of the search that brought the publishers traffic and income. Now Google simply takes the content by force and uses it without consideration – that is the definition of theft. Danielle Coffey, President and CEO of News/Media Alliance

It calls on the US Justice Ministry to take this into account as part of the ongoing antitrust procedure.

Controversy about opt-out option

As internal documents from the antitrust process show, Google first considered granting publishers an option or opt-out. However, this option was rejected because it would make the training of the AI ​​models too complex. Instead, Google opted for a “quiet update” without public announcement of the new data use. The argument between Google and the publishers has a long history.

For years, media houses have been fighting for fair remuneration for their content that are used by technology groups. In Australia and the European Union, laws (so -called ancillary copyright) have already been passed, which are intended to oblige platforms to pay for publishers.