The European Commission made two legally binding decisions within the framework of the law entitled Digital Markets Actwhich Google forces it to significantly open up the Android operating system and its search services to competing companies.
European regulators require Google to allow independent AI-based assistants access to key system functions. Until now, all of them were reserved exclusively for the factory application Gemini.
The aim of these measures is to create equal market conditions, as statistics show that currently around 60% of users in the European Union consider alternative chatbots less attractive precisely because of software limitations and the inability to access deeper layers of the operating system.
Full integration of alternative smart assistants from July 2027
According to new rulesexternal AI programs must be given the identical basic capabilities that Gemini has. In addition, the complete preservation of privacy and security of user data. Users will be able to activate the selected alternative assistant with a voice command in a similar way as used Hey, Google.
In addition, competing apps will be allowed to perform advanced tasks such as ordering taxis, suggesting relevant replies within the messaging app or providing information about recently visited locations. In order for this to be possible, the operating system will need to grant them access to location history, text messages and interaction with other installed programs on the phone.
Google is obliged to fully implement these changes by July 2027.
Mandatory sharing of search data
Another major ruling by the European Commission orders Google to share anonymous search data with qualified third-party Internet search engines. This includes modern chatbots with network search capabilities.
Regulators point out that the main intention of this decision is to enable competing services to improve their products and compete more equally on the market. The data that Google must make available must be exactly the same as that which the company collects internally. The same goes for the data it uses to optimize its own search services.
The process of anonymizing this sensitive information relies on a multi-layered method developed in close collaboration with internal and external privacy experts. In order to prevent abuses, the legal framework allows Google to perform a security assessment before sharing any information and determine whether cooperation with a particular third party poses a serious risk to cyber security or data protection.
The decision of the European Commission also defines a fair formula for calculating the price of this data, as well as a transparent process for accessing the entire system. Implementation of this part of the mandate Google must start much earlier, from January 2027.