UK watchdog to review fairness of Google’s AI Overviews

Luke Meredith

The UK’s competition watchdog is taking a closer look at how Google uses artificial intelligence (AI) in its search engine. It says the company needs to treat publishers and businesses more fairly.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has suggested a set of actions it believes will make Google’s search services more open, transparent and competitive.

Google was given “strategic market status” last year. This label is reserved for powerful tech companies that have a major impact on the UK economy. This status allows the CMA to step in and set rules to prevent unfair behaviour. The regulator says this is important because around 200,000 UK businesses spend about £10bn a year on Google advertising, and many rely on the company to reach customers.

One of the CMA’s main concerns is Google’s AI Overview feature. This tool gives AI generated answers at the top of search results. The regulator says publishers should have more control over how their content is displayed, and it also wants Google to clearly explain how it uses publisher material, ensuring proper credit is given.

The CMA is also pushing Google to be fairer in how it ranks search results. It says Google should not give an advantage to websites that pay for advertising or have other commercial deals with the company. The regulator wants Google to share more information about how ranking works, including in AI generated results, and to improve the way people can complain if they believe their site has been treated unfairly.

Sarah Cardell, the CMA’s chief executive, said the proposals would give people and businesses more choice and control over how they use Google’s services. She added that the changes could help the UK tech sector grow by making the market fairer for publishers and competitors.

The CMA is also watching developments in the United States, where the Department of Justice has accused Google of using its power to keep a monopoly over search. A US court has already ruled that Google acted in an anti-competitive way, and American officials are now deciding what action to take next.

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Luke Meredith

Content Editor at Engage Web

At home in both the digital sector and the world of communications, Luke thrives on deadlines and has held roles in healthcare, retail and digital marketing, gaining a sound knowledge of a wide range of sectors. He’s a massive swot as well, holding a first-class degree in BA Communication and Media, and now uses his writing skills and keen editorial eye in his role as Content Editor here. Luke helps to oversee our clients’ content requirements, while also looking after a pool of freelance writers across three continents.