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Italian news publishers are calling for an investigation into Google’s AI Overviews, arguing that the search engine’s AI-generated summaries feature is a “traffic killer” that threatens their survival.

FIEG, the Italian federation of newspaper publishers, said it has submitted a formal complaint to Agcom, Italy’s communications watchdog.

Similar complaints have been filed in other EU countries. Coordinated by the European Newspaper Publishers’ Association, the aim is to push the European Commission to open an investigation against Google under the EU Digital Services Act.

The threat posed by AI Overviews, which gives users information without them having to click through to the original source by summarising searches with a block of text at the top of the results page, is among the main concerns of European news outlets.

FIEG said it was also worried about the more recent AI Mode, which takes information from multiple sources and presents them as a chatbot.

The federation argues that the Google services “violate fundamental provisions of the digital services act, with detrimental effects on Italian users, consumers and businesses”.

“Google is becoming a traffic killer,” FIEG said in a statement, adding that the products not only directly compete with content produced by publishing firms, but also “reduces their visibility and discoverability, and thus their advertising revenues”.

“This has serious consequences for the economic sustainability and diversity of the media, with all the risks associated with a lack of transparency and the proliferation of disinformation in democratic debate,” the statement said.

A study published in July by the UK-based Authoritas analytics company claimed AI Overviews, launched by Google last year, caused up to 80% fewer clickthroughs. The research, which was submitted as part of a legal complaint to the UK’s competition watchdog about the impact of Google AI Overviews, also found that links to YouTube – owned by Google’s parent company Alphabet – were more prominent compared with the normal search result system.

A second study by the Pew Research Center, a US thinktank, also showed a big hit to referral traffic from Google AI Overviews, with users only clicking a link under an AI summary once every 100 times.

Google claimed the studies were inaccurate and based on flawed methodology.

Google AI Overviews arrived in Italy in March. In September, the country became the first in the EU to approve a comprehensive law regulating the use of artificial intelligence, including limiting child access and imposing prison terms on those who use the technology to cause harm, such as generating deepfakes.

Giorgia Meloni’s government described the legislation, which aligns with the EU’s landmark AI Act, as a decisive move in influencing how AI is used across Italy.

EAST HARTFORD, Conn., Oct. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Pratt & Whitney, an RTX (NYSE: RTX) business, announced that type certification for the GTF Advantage engine has been validated by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), paving the way for entry into service in 2026. The engine was certified by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration earlier this year.

“EASA certification marks another critical milestone for the GTF Advantage program, demonstrating our ongoing commitment to deliver value for our customers,” said Rick Deurloo, president of Commercial Engines at Pratt & Whitney. “With enhanced payload and range capability, and a more durable configuration that delivers up to double the time on wing, the GTF Advantage will be a game-changer for operators.”

The GTF Advantage will deliver 4% more takeoff thrust at sea level airports and 8% more at high altitude airports, along with better fuel efficiency. GTF Advantage is fully intermixable and interchangeable with today’s GTF engine model and will ultimately become the production standard.

The GTF Advantage features the most state-of-the-art hot section in the single-aisle market. Pratt & Whitney recently announced Hot Section Plus (HS+), an upgrade option for today’s GTF engine derived from GTF Advantage technology. HS+ will provide 90 to 95% of the GTF Advantage’s durability benefits.

About Pratt & Whitney
Pratt & Whitney, an RTX business, is a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines and auxiliary power units for military, commercial and civil aviation customers. Since 1925, our engineers have pioneered the development of revolutionary aircraft propulsion technologies, and today we support more than 90,000 in-service engines through our global network of maintenance, repair and overhaul facilities.

About RTX
RTX is the world’s largest aerospace and defense company. With more than 185,000 global employees, we push the limits of technology and science to redefine how we connect and protect our world. Through industry-leading businesses – Collins Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney, and Raytheon – we are advancing aviation, engineering integrated defense systems for operational success, and developing next-generation technology solutions and manufacturing to help global customers address their most critical challenges. The company, with 2024 sales of more than $80 billion, is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia.

For questions or to schedule an interview, please contact [email protected].

SOURCE RTX