Google required to open up to AI, search engine rivals under EU-mandated changes
Commission details access to Android features and search data
The Commission said Google will open up 11 features on its Android operating system to AI rivals to access key functionalities and better compete with Google's Gemini AI service.
This would mean that users can activate a rival AI assistant via voice commands, similar to the "hey Google" command, to book a taxi or search for information on places. Users will benefit from the changes from July 2027 in the next iteration of Android.
The Commission said the measures contain robust safeguards to protect users' privacy and device security, and that Google will only offer the 11 features to rivals who fulfil security and privacy criteria.
The EU decision also requires Google to share the data that it collects to optimise its own search services with OpenAI and other AI chatbots with search functionalities, subject to anonymisation.
Google can first assess whether rivals pose cybersecurity and data protection risks before it opens up to them. The EU measure, which will be implemented from January next year, includes a formula to calculate the price of the shared data.
