A dispute between French newspapers and Google has taken a new turn with the introduction of AI-generated summaries in search results. The association representing nearly 300 newspapers expresses concern that this feature could decrease website traffic and demands that the company comply with previously established agreements.
The group also raises questions about the use of journalistic material in AI features without providing fair compensation. The main focus of this discussion is AI Overviews, a functionality launched in France at the end of July, which presents an AI-created summary above conventional results, aggregating data from various sources.
For media outlets, this change can directly impact the volume of visits. If the desired answer is already visible on Google, some users may choose not to click on the links, resulting in a decrease in visits to the sites that produced the original content.
The APIG association formalized a complaint to the French competition authority, requesting that Google honor the commitments made with media groups in 2022. Among the points raised, Marc Feuillée, president of APIG and CEO of the newspaper Le Figaro, emphasized the relevance of the information produced by the outlets, stating that 'Information has considerable value.'
The entity clarified that its intention is not to impede the progress of artificial intelligence; editors are merely seeking recognition for this value and due remuneration for the use of their content.
This conflict occurs in a challenging context for the press, given that in the last two decades, many media outlets have seen a decline in revenue due to the migration of advertising to the internet, where technology companies have concentrated a large part of the profits.
Google, for its part, argues that the summaries facilitate more elaborate questioning and help users discover new content. The company also assures that it offers mechanisms for editors to manage the use of their materials.
However, this issue is not new. In 2024, the French competition authority fined Google 250 million euros, approximately R$ 1.47 billion, for failing to comply with parts of the agreement signed with media groups.
Additionally, in December 2025, the European Union announced an investigation to determine whether Google infringed competition rules by using content published by media outlets and other editors to train and provide AI services without appropriate compensation. This episode demonstrates how the expansion of artificial intelligence is redefining the relationship between search engines and content creators, maintaining the newspapers' concern about preserving the value of their journalistic material when the answer can be displayed even before accessing the original site.
