Breaking News
Google will be required to open key Android features and share search-related data with OpenAI and other AI competitors under new European Union requirements aimed at increasing competition in digital markets.
The European Commission on Thursday set out detailed measures that Google must implement under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), six months after launching proceedings to determine how the company should comply with the landmark legislation.
Under the new requirements, Google must allow rival AI assistants to access 11 Android operating system features that are currently available to its own Gemini AI service. The changes will enable users to invoke competing AI assistants using voice commands—for example, to search for information or book services—in much the same way as they currently use Google's "Hey Google" assistant.
The Android changes are expected to reach users from July 2027 with the next major version of the operating system.
The Commission also directed Google to share anonymized data used to improve its search services with OpenAI and other AI providers that offer search capabilities. The data-sharing requirement is scheduled to take effect from January 2027 and includes a pricing mechanism for access. Google will be allowed to assess whether requesting companies meet cybersecurity and data protection requirements before granting access.
The EU said the measures are designed to promote greater competition in online search and AI services while maintaining user privacy and device security.
"Thanks to these measures we hope to see emerging alternatives to Google Search and Google's AI services, such as Gemini, and that users in the EU can enjoy greater choice of services," EU technology chief Henna Virkkunen said.
Google criticized the Commission's decision, arguing that the mandated changes could weaken privacy and security protections.
"Today's decisions risk undermining vital privacy and security guardrails for millions of Europeans," Kent Walker, Google's president of global affairs and chief legal officer, said in a statement.
"We have repeatedly offered solutions to safeguard users while satisfying the DMA's goals, but these rulings discount extensive evidence of user harm," Walker said.
The decision marks one of the EU's most significant efforts to apply the Digital Markets Act to generative AI, requiring dominant platform providers to give competing AI services greater access to operating system features and data that have traditionally been reserved for their own products.
The European Commission on Thursday set out detailed measures that Google must implement under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), six months after launching proceedings to determine how the company should comply with the landmark legislation.
Under the new requirements, Google must allow rival AI assistants to access 11 Android operating system features that are currently available to its own Gemini AI service. The changes will enable users to invoke competing AI assistants using voice commands—for example, to search for information or book services—in much the same way as they currently use Google's "Hey Google" assistant.
The Android changes are expected to reach users from July 2027 with the next major version of the operating system.
The Commission also directed Google to share anonymized data used to improve its search services with OpenAI and other AI providers that offer search capabilities. The data-sharing requirement is scheduled to take effect from January 2027 and includes a pricing mechanism for access. Google will be allowed to assess whether requesting companies meet cybersecurity and data protection requirements before granting access.
The EU said the measures are designed to promote greater competition in online search and AI services while maintaining user privacy and device security.
"Thanks to these measures we hope to see emerging alternatives to Google Search and Google's AI services, such as Gemini, and that users in the EU can enjoy greater choice of services," EU technology chief Henna Virkkunen said.
Google criticized the Commission's decision, arguing that the mandated changes could weaken privacy and security protections.
"Today's decisions risk undermining vital privacy and security guardrails for millions of Europeans," Kent Walker, Google's president of global affairs and chief legal officer, said in a statement.
"We have repeatedly offered solutions to safeguard users while satisfying the DMA's goals, but these rulings discount extensive evidence of user harm," Walker said.
The decision marks one of the EU's most significant efforts to apply the Digital Markets Act to generative AI, requiring dominant platform providers to give competing AI services greater access to operating system features and data that have traditionally been reserved for their own products.
See What’s Next in Tech With the Fast Forward Newsletter
Tweets From @varindiamag
Nothing to see here - yet
When they Tweet, their Tweets will show up here.
