Two German courts have said Google can be responsible for false statements generated by its AI search features. The rulings treat those answers as Google’s own content rather than simple links to outside websites.
Aachen blocks false doctor claims
In a preliminary injunction dated September 24, the Aachen Regional Court prohibited Google from showing specific false claims about a doctor through AI Mode. The system connected the doctor to criminal allegations and legal proceedings involving another former professor. The doctor asked Google to remove the answers before seeking the court order, according to the law firm’s account.
The order is not a final judgment. It prohibits Google from using the three disputed versions of the text while the case continues.
Munich ruling set precedent
The Aachen court based its reasoning on an earlier Munich Regional Court decision. That court said Google’s AI Overview summaries can count as Google’s own content rather than material merely displayed from another source. This distinction matters because traditional search engines have often received broader protection for linking to third-party information.
The Decoder reported that Google settled the Munich dispute before a higher court issued a ruling. The Aachen order is therefore the newer test of whether the same legal reasoning will continue to be applied.
Search companies face wider risk
Google’s AI Overviews and AI Mode generate direct answers instead of presenting only a list of web pages. If those answers misidentify a person or make a false factual claim, legal exposure may extend beyond the publisher of the original source.
The German decisions apply to specific cases and do not create a Europe-wide rule by themselves. They could still influence future claims from doctors, businesses, publishers and others harmed by inaccurate AI-generated search content. Higher courts will determine whether this approach becomes a lasting standard.
References
Landgericht Aachen. (2026, September 24). Beschluss, Aktenzeichen 8 O 268/26 [Court order]. https://www.itm.nrw/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/KM_C450i26100808190.pdf
Pfitzer, C. (2026, October 15). Google is liable for AI Mode. KPW Rechtsanwälte. https://kpw.law/en/google-is-liable-for-ai-mode/
Bastian, M. (2026, October 18). Two German courts now hold Google liable for what its AI Overviews say. The Decoder. https://the-decoder.com/two-german-courts-now-hold-google-liable-for-what-its-ai-overviews-say/