EU orders Google to open Android to rival AI assistants and share search data

The two decisions

On 16 July 2026, the European Commission adopted two binding specification measures under the Digital Markets Act (DMA) that force Google to open its Android operating system to rival artificial intelligence services and to share search data with competing search engines and AI chatbots. The decisions follow a proceeding opened six months earlier and are designed to curb Google's dominance in mobile and search markets.

Opening Android to rival AI

The first measure requires Google to grant third-party AI assistants equal access to 11 key Android functionalities currently reserved largely for its own Gemini service. From July 2027, users will be able to activate a rival AI assistant by voice command, similar to the "Hey Google" wake word, and use it to book a taxi, search for places, or manage calendar entries. The Commission said the changes will appear in the next major Android release and include safeguards: Google may only offer the features to rivals that meet security and privacy criteria.

Sharing search data

The second decision compels Google to begin sharing anonymised search data with eligible third-party search engines and AI chatbots that have search capabilities. The data covers search queries, result rankings, and click and usage patterns. Google can first assess whether a rival poses cybersecurity or data protection risks. The EU measure, which takes effect in January 2027, also includes a formula to calculate the price of the shared data. The Commission argues that without access to such data, no competitor can realistically challenge Google's search engine, which holds an unchallenged market position.

Google pushes back

Google sharply criticised the rulings. Kent Walker, the company's president of global affairs and general counsel, said the decisions "risk undermining vital privacy and security guardrails for millions of Europeans." He argued that granting external apps sensitive device permissions without the vetting that phone manufacturers currently perform threatens device security. Google also contended that AI assistants already have access to Android functions and that handset makers, not Google, are responsible for validating them. The company did not say whether it would challenge the decisions in court.

EU defends the measures

EU officials stressed that the orders include robust privacy protections. Teresa Ribera, the Commission's executive vice-president for a clean, just and competitive transition, said the decision "will help smaller competitors, search engines, or AI assistants, to compete and provide that choice, while protecting the user's privacy." EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen added: "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."

What comes next

Google has roughly six months to begin sharing search data and one year to overhaul Android. The Commission said the data-sharing obligation starts in January 2027, while the Android interoperability requirements take effect in July 2027. Android powers about 60 percent of smartphones in the European Union, giving Google a powerful gateway to consumers that the EU now aims to prise open.