Technology
EU forces Google to let Android and Search rivals compete fairly
Brussels orders Google to grant competing AI assistants and search engines equal access to Android data and features.
The Verge
The European Union has handed down two sweeping regulatory orders requiring Google to open core parts of its Android operating system and Google Search to competing AI assistants and search engines—a move that could significantly reshape how Google's services operate across Europe.
The enforcement decisions#
Released on Thursday, these orders emerge from the EU's Digital Markets Act enforcement framework, which targets dominant technology platforms designated as "gatekeepers." Rather than imposing financial fines, the DMA process requires companies to restructure how they deliver services to ensure competitors receive comparable access to the same systems and data the gatekeepers use internally.
Android interoperability requirements#
The first ruling addresses how AI assistants operate on Android devices. Under the new requirements, Google must grant competing AI tools—including ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity—the same level of system integration and hardware access it provides to its own Gemini assistant.
This means:
- Users gain control over which AI assistant functions as their default system assistant
- Third-party AI tools can respond to voice commands
- Competing assistants can access device capabilities and interact with installed apps
- Rival services receive parity with Gemini's deep Android integration
The shift transfers decision-making power from Google to individual users, allowing them to choose their preferred assistant while maintaining comparable functionality.
Search data access#
The second proceeding focuses on Google Search data, requiring the company to share information generated by its search service with competing search engines and AI chatbots. This remedy parallels requirements recently imposed in the US antitrust case, where Google was ordered to provide rivals with valuable search insights to strengthen competition.
The EU explicitly recognized that modern AI chatbots often function similarly to search engines, expanding the scope of required data sharing beyond traditional search competitors.
