Publishers are suing because clicks are disappearing
The owner of Rolling Stone, Billboard, and Variety has sued Google, saying the company is using its journalism in AI summaries without permission.
Penske Media filed the case in Washington DC, marking the first time a major US publisher has gone after Google for its “AI Overviews.”
These summaries sit at the top of search results, and publishers say they pull traffic away from their sites, cutting into ad and subscription income.
Penske claims Google only shows publishers in search if they agree to let their content appear in AI overviews.
Without that, it says, Google would have to pay to use articles for republishing or AI training.
The company pointed to Google’s dominance in search, with nearly 90% of the US market.
According to the lawsuit, about 20% of searches leading to Penske sites now display AI overviews, and affiliate revenue has dropped by over a third since 2024.
TL;DR
Penske Media says AI overviews reduce visitors and revenue.
Google argues the feature helps users and publishers alike.
Critics say Google avoids the licensing deals others have made.
Search is the boss fight
Other companies, like online education firm Chegg, have also taken Google to court.
Google has dismissed the claims, saying AI overviews make search more helpful and send visitors to more sites.
The company recently won an antitrust case that lets it keep its Chrome browser, a move that disappointed many publishers.
Industry groups argue Google is not signing the licensing deals that rivals such as OpenAI have made with publishers like News Corp and the Financial Times.
They say Google’s size means it doesn’t feel pressured to follow the same rules.
Publishers: crying in ad revenue. Google: shrug emoji.