Germany’s Regional Court of Munich ruled that Google is directly liable for false content generated by its AI Overviews feature. The court rejected the nation’s usual shield that protects search engines, classifying the AI summaries as original content rather than mere links. The decision stems from two Munich publishers being linked to scams and shady practices that never appeared in the cited sources.

The court issued a temporary injunction prohibiting the AI Overviews from repeating the fabricated allegations about the two firms. In its ruling, the judge noted that the system rewrites information “in its own words and structure,” creating independent statements that cannot be defended by pointing to the underlying links. Google had previously argued users could verify facts by checking source URLs.

Analysts warn the ruling could force search giants to overhaul AI Overviews that reach billions monthly. A recent study cited by The New York Times found AI Overviews err about nine percent of the time, with more than half of correct answers lacking verifiable sources. The Munich decision places the burden of factual accuracy squarely on the platform, not on users who rarely click source links.