Poland’s competition authority has brought formal charges against Google over its use of artificial intelligence to summarise online content, according to Spider’s Web. UOKiK, the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection, accuses the technology giant of exploiting independent publishers by generating AI-powered search results that prevent users from visiting original news sites.
The watchdog says Google has been leveraging AI overview features in its search engine that display synthesised information at the top of results pages. Rather than clicking through to the actual articles and guides, users increasingly read the AI-generated summary instead. This shift in behaviour means publishers lose both traffic and advertising revenue, even though their content forms the basis of the summaries.
According to Spider’s Web, the case involves four corporate entities: Alphabet Inc., Google LLC, Google Ireland Limited and Google Poland. The charges relate not only to the main search engine but also to Google News and Google Discover, services that drive significant traffic to most Polish news portals.
Negotiations without transparency
European Union copyright reforms introduced in 2024 were designed to protect the economic foundations of independent and pluralistic journalism. The new rules strengthened publishers’ bargaining power in the digital market and required online platforms to pay for using their publications.
However, UOKiK alleges that Google failed to sign agreements with the majority of Polish publishers setting out financial terms for the use of their work. When the company did propose fees, it provided no hard data allowing verification of the offers, according to the watchdog. Google did not explain how it uses press publications or how it generates revenue from them, nor did it supply supporting documents.
This lack of transparency meant publishers could not assess whether the proposed rates were fair, let alone put forward their own counter-offers. UOKiK emphasises that a company holding a dominant market position cannot exploit that advantage to impose unfair terms on other market participants.
Potential 10 per cent penalty
The charges concern suspected abuse of a dominant position. If the allegations are proven, Google could face a fine of up to 10 per cent of its annual global turnover – a sum that would run into billions of pounds.
UOKiK has clarified that it is not acting as a mediator between Google and publishers. Instead, the authority’s intervention is intended to ensure that if the two sides fail to reach agreement, UOKiK will have the power to set the level of remuneration itself.
The case reflects growing tension between Big Tech platforms and content creators. Advertising revenue displayed alongside AI-generated summaries – such as product recommendations related to search queries – flows to Google, while independent publishers such as Spider’s Web see their income eroded.
What this means for Poles in the UK
For readers of Polish news sites living in the UK, this case highlights the economic pressures facing independent journalism in the digital age. If Google is found to have abused its market position, the outcome could set a precedent for how AI-driven platforms compensate content creators across Europe, including Britain.
Many Poles in the UK rely on Polish-language online media to stay connected with news from home. A fairer revenue-sharing model could help ensure these outlets remain financially sustainable. The ruling may also influence how UK authorities and courts approach similar disputes between publishers and technology companies operating in Britain, especially as AI-generated content becomes more widespread in search results.
Anyone working in digital publishing, content creation or online journalism in the UK should monitor the case closely. The principle at stake – whether platforms must pay fairly for content they use to generate revenue – could reshape the economics of the industry. Official updates on the UOKiK proceedings can be found on the authority’s website at uokik.gov.pl.
