Google quietly settles Munich AI-Overviews publisher case; second German court applies the same liability reasoning

The Decoder learned that Google, after publicly announcing an appeal of the Munich Regional Court I's May 28, 2026 ruling (case 26 O 869/26) holding it directly liable for false AI-Overviews statements about two Munich publishers, instead quietly settled — so no higher court will weigh in on the reasoning. A second German court, Aachen Regional Court (order 8 O 268/26, Sept 24), has now applied the same reasoning via emergency injunction against Google's AI Mode over false claims about a doctor, with fines up to EUR 250,000 per violation. The liability theory ("AI answers are Google's own content") could let publishers assert compensation claims over the texts Google uses.