US judge dismisses Chegg and Penske Media antitrust lawsuits against Google over AI search summaries

On September 30, 2026, a US federal judge dismissed antitrust lawsuits filed by Chegg and Penske Media against Google. The companies had accused Google of using their content in AI-generated search summaries without compensation, reducing traffic to their sites. Judge Amit Mehta ruled that the plaintiffs had only an expectation of receiving search traffic, not an agreement, so antitrust law did not apply. He acknowledged the economic harm to publishers but said antitrust laws cannot substitute for legislative action. This ruling follows a similar dismissal in March 2026 and is a setback for publishers concerned about AI search.