Judge dismisses Chegg and Penske antitrust lawsuits targeting Google AI search
Summary
A US judge dismissed lawsuits by Chegg and Penske Media accusing Google of breaking antitrust laws with its AI search features. The judge ruled that Google's use of content for AI answers is not illegal under current antitrust laws, even though it may harm some publishers' website traffic.Key Facts
- Chegg and Penske Media sued Google in 2025, claiming Google's AI search copied their content and reduced their website visits.
- US District Judge Amit Mehta dismissed the cases, saying Google’s actions do not break antitrust law because there was no formal agreement with the publishers.
- The judge explained that expecting search traffic from Google does not equal a legal contract.
- Judge Mehta has experience with Google antitrust cases, including one brought by the US government, which found Google violated the law but did not impose severe penalties.
- The court acknowledged that Google’s AI search might be unfair to publishers but said unfairness alone is not illegal without new laws.
- Google could face more legal challenges, but success is uncertain without new legislation in the US.
- Other regions, like the European Union and the UK, are considering stricter rules on Big Tech and AI search practices.
- Google is testing ways to pay websites for their content used in AI but publishers have not responded positively.
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