On Friday, Penske Media Group—the parent company behind renowned publications like Rolling Stone, Billboard, and Variety—brought a legal action against Google in a federal court located in Washington, D.C. The media conglomerate alleges that the tech behemoth has been utilizing its news content without proper authorization to generate AI-powered summaries. This unauthorized use, according to Penske Media Group, has significantly reduced traffic to its websites.

The lawsuit details that roughly 20% of Google search results that link to Penske Media Group’s websites now feature AI-generated summaries. Moreover, it is anticipated that this percentage will keep climbing. By the close of 2024, the group reported that its associated revenue had plummeted by over one-third compared to its peak levels.

In response, Google contends that AI summaries enhance the user experience by offering concise and relevant information. The company also asserts that these summaries actually drive more traffic to a wider array of websites, benefiting the overall digital ecosystem.