EU orders Google to share search data and open Android to rival AI
New EU rulings under the Digital Markets Act require Google to open its search data and Android ecosystem to competitors. The company warns the mandate could compromise user privacy and system security.
The European Union has intensified its regulatory pressure on Google, mandating the tech giant to grant rival AI assistants and search engines access to 11 key Android system features and anonymized search data under the Digital Markets Act (DMA). The rules, finalized on July 16, 2026, require Google to enable third-party AI assistants—such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Microsoft’s Bing—to function with the same capabilities as its own Gemini AI, including voice-activated commands, app integration, and background task execution. Users will be able to set these assistants as defaults starting July 2027, a shift aimed at addressing the 60% of EU Android users currently limited by restricted access to competing services.
The Commission emphasized that the measures include safeguards to protect user privacy and device security. Competing AI developers must meet cybersecurity and data protection standards, with Google retaining authority to assess applicants for risks. Anonymization protocols will suppress rare or sensitive data, group users into bundles of at least 1,000, and remove identifiers. Only vetted firms with plans to improve search capabilities will receive data, subject to independent audits. Google will also share anonymized search data with rival engines and AI chatbots starting January 2027, though the company claims it already licenses such data under the DMA.
Google has reiterated its opposition, arguing that the rules risk exposing private searches to unvetted entities and weakening privacy and security. Kent Walker, the company’s president of global affairs, warned that the changes could “undermine vital privacy and security guardrails for millions of Europeans.” The company also highlighted its existing compliance efforts, with Clare Kelly, senior competition counsel, stating that Android is “open by design” and that data sharing with competitors is already underway.
The EU’s actions mark the latest in a series of DMA-driven measures targeting Big Tech. Earlier this year, the Commission forced Apple to allow third-party app stores on iOS and mandated interoperability for messaging services. Meta and TikTok have also faced scrutiny, while the U.S. Department of Justice recently upheld a 2024 ruling against Google’s search monopoly, though the company has appealed the decision. The Trump administration’s focus on AI infrastructure, including projects like Stargate and the Genesis Mission, has further complicated transatlantic regulatory dynamics.
The DMA’s legal framework allows the EU to impose fines of up to 10% of a company’s global revenue for noncompliance, though no penalties were immediately announced. Google faces a July 2027 deadline to adjust its Android practices, with the Commission noting that the rules are legally binding specification measures, not fines. The tech giant has not ruled out legal challenges, but the EU has signaled resolve in enforcing its vision of a more competitive digital market.
The dispute underscores broader tensions between regulatory efforts to promote competition and corporate claims of safeguarding user interests. While the EU frames its actions as necessary for innovation, Google and allies like Apple argue that open access could compromise device security. The outcome of this regulatory battle will likely shape the future of AI and search ecosystems in Europe and beyond.
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