A federal judge has dismissed antitrust lawsuits filed by Chegg and Rolling Stone’s parent company, Penske Media Corporation, against Google. Judge Amit Mehta ruled that the publishers' claims do not stand up to antitrust law, stating that their expectations of receiving search traffic are not agreements.

The lawsuits accused Google of coercing publishers into supplying content for AI Overviews for free, or risk disappearing from search results. The judges’ ruling suggests that general search engine functionality is not subject to antitrust scrutiny.

Despite the legal setback, publishers continue to see a steep decline in traffic to news outlets and small websites due to Google’s AI-powered search overhaul. This week, The Information reported that Google is compensating around 100 publishers for their contributions to AI Overviews, AI Mode, and Gemini as part of a pilot program.

While the ruling may be seen as a setback for publishers, Judge Mehta highlighted that antitrust rules cannot replace legislative decisions to address the economic impacts of new innovation.

The case highlights the ongoing tension between technology giants and content creators as AI continues to reshape the digital landscape.