Lawsuit filed by major publisher against Google due to AI-generated summaries: Insight provided
In a significant move, Penske Media Corporation (PMC) has filed a lawsuit against Google, marking the first of its kind against the tech giant and its parent company Alphabet. The lawsuit alleges that Google is using publishers' content without proper permission to power AI-generated summaries in search results.
Penske Media Corporation, which owns publications such as Rolling Stone, Billboard, Variety, Hollywood Reporter, Deadline, Vibe, and Artforum, argues that the only way to stop Google from using its material in this way would be to remove itself from Google search entirely. This, they claim, would be devastating for the company, as it has seen a sharp drop in clicks from search, which reduces its advertising, subscription, and affiliate revenue since Google rolled out AI Overviews.
Google, on the other hand, has stated that it will defend against the "meritless claims" made by Penske Media Corporation. The tech giant asserts that it is demanding access to use publishers' content for AI summaries that often answer users' questions directly without sending them to publisher sites. Jose Castaneda, Google spokesperson, has denied the claims made by Penske Media Corporation.
Penske Media CEO Jay Penske stated that the company has a duty to protect its journalists and journalism as a source of truth. He emphasised that the use of AI-generated summaries without proper permission undermines the value of original content and the hard work of journalists.
The lawsuit is not the first time publishers and authors have taken legal action against AI firms over copyright concerns. Other similar cases have been reported, highlighting the growing tension between tech companies and content creators.
It remains to be seen how this lawsuit will unfold, but one thing is certain: the relationship between tech giants and publishers is becoming increasingly complex, with both parties vying for control over the digital landscape. As AI continues to play a more significant role in how information is presented and consumed, these issues are likely to become more prevalent.
Google states that every day, they send billions of clicks to sites across the web, and AI Overviews send traffic to a greater diversity of sites. However, the lawsuit claims that since the rollout of AI Overviews, PMC has seen a sharp drop in clicks from search, suggesting that the AI summaries may be keeping users on Google's platform rather than directing them to publisher sites.
The search results do not explicitly identify the defender of Google in any case, but the lawsuit raises important questions about the use of AI-generated content and the balance of power between tech companies and publishers. As the digital landscape continues to evolve, these questions are likely to remain at the forefront of discussions in the publishing and tech industries.
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