German Courts Split on Google AI Overviews Liability

Two German regional courts issued opposing rulings on whether Google’s AI‑generated search summaries – called AI Overviews – constitute the company’s own content. The Berlin Regional Court dismissed a lawsuit filed by a perfume manufacturer, holding that the AI Overviews merely aggregate existing web material and do not represent independent statements by Google. Consequently, the court found no basis for an injunction or damages claim.

In contrast, the Munich Regional Court ruled that the AI Overviews are original content created by Google’s algorithms. The court determined that Google rewrites and structures information from multiple sources, producing assertions that are not present in the linked pages. It therefore held Google directly liable for false statements made in the AI summaries, marking a departure from the traditional intermediary protection afforded to search engines. The Munich decision could set a precedent for holding AI‑enabled platforms accountable for their generated outputs.