Australia's competition watchdog said there was a need to revisit efforts to ensure greater choice for internet users, citing Google's dominant search engine market share and its competitors' failure to capitalise on the artificial intelligence boom.
Australia's competition watchdog said there was a need to revisit efforts to ensure greater choice for internet users, citing Google's dominant search engine market share and its competitors' failure to capitalise on the artificial intelligence boom.
A report by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission said that while the integration of generative AI tools into search engines is still nascent, Big Tech's deep pockets and dominant presence give it an upper hand.
The commission said it was concerned Google and Microsoft could integrate generative AI into their search offerings, including through commercial deals, which raises concerns about the accuracy and reliability of search queries.
"While some consumers may find the generative AI search experience more useful and efficient, others may be concerned about the accuracy and reliability of AI-generated responses to search queries," Commissioner Peter Crone said.
Google and Microsoft did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment.
Australia has intensified the spotlight on the tech giants, which are mostly domiciled in the U.S. It was the first country to make social media platforms pay media outlets royalties for sharing their content.
Last month, it passed a law that banned social media for children aged under 16, and proposed a law earlier this week that could impose fines of up to A$50 million ($32.28 million) on tech giants if they suppress competition and prevent consumers from switching between services.
The Australian watchdog on Wednesday urged the use of service-specific codes that help prevent anti-competitive behaviour, address data advantages and allow consumers to switch between services freely.
These proposed measures have been agreed to in principle by the government, ACCC said, and it will close its enquiry by next March.
Australia will not raise its defence spending targets despite pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, choosing instead to follow its own military strategy, Defence Minister Richard Marles said on Thursday.
Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Canberra supports the U.S. strike on Iran and calls for de-escalation and diplomacy.
Indonesian police have arrested three Australian men in connection with a deadly shooting at a villa in Bali, which claimed the life of a fourth Australian and left another seriously injured, according to Bali police chief Daniel Adityajaya on Wednesday.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has pledged to counter the "damaging" notion that democratic systems are failing, especially during a time of widespread global instability.
China's Foreign Ministry is pushing for a "more mature, stable and fruitful" partnership with Australia. While seeking stronger ties, Beijing offered no details on reports of PM Anthony Albanese visiting this summer.
Ukraine's Security Service carried out overnight airstrikes on a Russian military airfield in occupied Crimea, reportedly destroying three helicopters and a key air defense system.
A former Venezuelan military intelligence official has pleaded guilty in the United States to drug trafficking and narco-terrorism charges, concluding a two-year legal process following his extradition.
Azerbaijan has summoned Russia’s envoy in Baku to protest the deadly raids targeting Azerbaijani nationals in Yekaterinburg, demanding a full investigation and accountability.
Iran has barred the UN nuclear watchdog’s chief from entering the country and suspended camera installations at its nuclear facilities, escalating tensions over transparency following recent military clashes.
Iran launched 18 ballistic missiles late Sunday targeting the U.S. military’s Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the largest American installation in the Middle East.
The U.S. economy faces a 40% risk of recession in the second half of 2025, JP Morgan analysts said on Wednesday, citing rising tariffs and stagflation concerns.
Severe rain in Venezuela has caused rivers to overflow and triggered landslides, sweeping away homes and collapsing a highway bridge, with five states affected and no casualties reported so far.
The U.S. Embassy in Qatar has advised American citizens to shelter in place amid rising tensions between Israel and Iran, as part of a broader global security alert issued by Washington.
China has ramped up efforts to protect communities impacted by flood control measures, introducing stronger compensation policies and direct aid from the central government.
Ukraine's Security Service carried out overnight airstrikes on a Russian military airfield in occupied Crimea, reportedly destroying three helicopters and a key air defense system.
A former Venezuelan military intelligence official has pleaded guilty in the United States to drug trafficking and narco-terrorism charges, concluding a two-year legal process following his extradition.
U.S. Senate Republicans are pushing forward with President Donald Trump’s major tax-and-spending bill, aiming to begin debate this weekend on a sweeping measure that could reshape fiscal policy and deepen the national debt.
Iranian military leaders have issued harsh warnings against the U.S. following President Donald Trump’s threats, vowing a more forceful retaliation if Iran’s interests are attacked again.
At least 13 Pakistani soldiers were killed and several others injured after a suicide car bombing targeted a military convoy in North Waziristan’s Mir Ali area near the Afghan border on Saturday, in one of the deadliest attacks in recent months.
Ukraine's Security Service carried out overnight airstrikes on a Russian military airfield in occupied Crimea, reportedly destroying three helicopters and a key air defense system.
A former Venezuelan military intelligence official has pleaded guilty in the United States to drug trafficking and narco-terrorism charges, concluding a two-year legal process following his extradition.
Azerbaijan has summoned Russia’s envoy in Baku to protest the deadly raids targeting Azerbaijani nationals in Yekaterinburg, demanding a full investigation and accountability.
Iran has barred the UN nuclear watchdog’s chief from entering the country and suspended camera installations at its nuclear facilities, escalating tensions over transparency following recent military clashes.
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