Federal Court Dismisses Antitrust Lawsuits Against Google Over AI Summaries

On September 30, 2026, a federal judge in Washington, D.C. dismissed antitrust lawsuits filed by Chegg Inc. and Penske Media Corp. against Google regarding the company's AI Overviews feature. U.S. District Judge Amit P. Mehta ruled that the lawsuits did not present a valid basis under antitrust law.

The plaintiffs argued that Google coerces publishers into providing content for free AI-generated summaries, threatening their visibility in Google Search if they refuse. However, Judge Mehta found that the plaintiffs merely expressed an 'expectation' of receiving search traffic in exchange for making their content accessible, which he deemed insufficient to constitute an agreement.

While acknowledging the challenges publishers face, the judge emphasized that antitrust law cannot address the economic consequences of innovation without legislative support. This ruling marks the third time Judge Mehta has dismissed similar claims against Google’s AI features, indicating a pattern in the court's stance.

In a separate case, a New York federal judge allowed Gannett’s USA Today and other publishers to pursue over $3.2 billion in damages from Google, alleging monopolization of digital advertising technology markets. This case is set to proceed to trial, although no date has been established.