The European Commission announced on Thursday that Alphabet's Google must grant competing artificial intelligence developers access to a set of Android system features and make certain anonymized search data available to companies such as OpenAI. The measures are part of enforcement steps designed to ensure compliance with the bloc's Digital Markets Act (DMA), the EU's landmark law aimed at limiting the influence of large technology "gatekeepers."
The Commission published the new obligations six months after opening a formal process to clarify how Google should meet its DMA responsibilities. Regulators said the requirements are intended to widen choice in AI services and search alternatives within the European Union.
Under the protocol, Google will need to allow rival AI assistants access to 11 Android features that are currently used by Google's own Gemini AI, enabling competing assistants to carry out equivalent functions on users' devices. The rules specify that from July 2027 end-users in the EU must be able to designate alternative AI assistants as the default voice assistant and activate those assistants through voice commands to perform tasks such as booking rides or obtaining location details.
The Commission said technical and operational safeguards will limit access to qualified developers. Only providers that meet defined cybersecurity and data-protection standards will be eligible to use the Android features, according to the announcement. The measures are framed as balancing greater interoperability with protections for user privacy and device integrity.
In a separate but related requirement, Google will be obliged to supply anonymized search data that it uses to refine its search engine to AI chatbot providers that incorporate search functionality, including OpenAI. Those rules are set to take effect in January 2027. Google will have the ability to vet applicants for potential cybersecurity or privacy risks before allowing access, and the framework includes a pricing mechanism for the provision of that shared data.
"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 tech chief Henna Virkkunen said.
The action follows a sequence of regulatory interventions in recent months targeting major technology firms. Brussels has urged Google to open certain Gemini-related services to rivals, required improved interoperability from Apple for third-party devices, and instructed Meta to remove engagement features such as infinite scrolling that regulators say can drive addictive usage patterns. Regulators presented the new Google obligations as part of that broader effort to reduce dominant platforms' control over critical digital functions.
Implications - The Commission's decision lays out explicit technical access and data-sharing paths for AI competitors while embedding controls designed to mitigate security and privacy risks. Key dates to watch are January 2027 for anonymized search data access and July 2027 for enabling rival voice assistants on Android devices.