Google Wins Big in AI Overviews Antitrust Case

A federal judge has dismissed antitrust cases brought by Chegg and Penske Media against Google over its AI Overviews product. The ruling, handed down on September 30, found that the publishers failed to plead a 'meeting of the minds' between themselves and Google.

The court ruled that an expectation of traffic does not constitute a binding agreement under Section 1 of the Sherman Act. It also rejected claims of reciprocal dealing, finding that the publishers had not pleaded any communications or negotiations with Google.

Google's search engine is a monopoly, but the judge wrote that 'an antitrust statute is not in any sense a substitute for [a] legislative body addressing questions of . . . economic dislocation caused by new innovation'. He suggested that Congress or regulators should address these issues instead.