Turkiye Rekabet Kurumu Investigates Google's AI Search Features

Summary

The Turkish Competition Authority has launched a formal investigation into Google's 'AI Overviews' and 'AI Mode' search features. The probe examines potential violations of the country's Law on the Protection of Competition. The Authority has also imposed interim regulatory measures regarding Google's use of publisher content.

Why it matters

This development is a significant regulatory signal indicating that AI-powered search is no longer viewed as a neutral information tool, but as a market structure issue with real competitive consequences for publishers and content creators. By moving beyond mere review to impose interim measures based on 'highly suspected exclusionary and abusive conduct,' Turkey is setting a precedent that other jurisdictions may follow. This highlights the growing legal scrutiny faced globally by AI search engines that aggregate and republish content while simultaneously diverting traffic away from source sites.

Highlights

• The investigation covers five specific questions: changes in user behavior, harm to publisher traffic, unfair contract terms, exclusionary effects on content creators and rival AI chatbots, and differential treatment in content selection and licensing.
• Interim regulatory measures were implemented immediately; the process is not limited to an open-ended review. Turkey is already restricting Google's AI content usage practices.
• The Authority explicitly frames the issue as 'exclusionary and abusive conduct toward publishers.' This indicates a shift toward an approach that supports competition rather than just consumer welfare.

Critical take

The article is a thin retelling of a press release in news agency style. There are no quotes from authority officials, no data on the number of affected publishers, no timeline for the investigation, and no indication of exactly what the 'interim measures' require Google to do. The 64-point AI score and the lack of independent analysis suggest this is an initial compilation rather than a news report. While it tells the reader 'what happened,' it barely addresses 'why it matters.'