Penske Media, owner of Rolling Stone, Billboard and Variety, has filed a lawsuit against Google, accusing it of using its journalism without permission in AI-generated search summaries.
The case, lodged in Washington, DC, is the first brought by a major US publisher against Google over its “AI Overviews” feature, which places machine-written summaries at the top of search results.
Penske argues the practice diverts readers and advertising income from its websites, which attract around 120 million visitors a month.
It said Google conditions search visibility on allowing its content to be used in summaries, exploiting its dominance in online search. The company claims affiliate revenue has already fallen by more than a third since late 2024.
Google rejected the allegations, saying AI Overviews improve search and expand opportunities for discovery.
The lawsuit follows similar complaints from other media groups and highlights growing friction between publishers and Big Tech.