The European Commission has issued two binding specification decisions under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which regulates large digital platforms designated as gatekeepers, requiring Google to improve interoperability for third-party AI assistants on Android and share Google Search data with eligible search providers.
The Commission said the measures are intended to enable competing AI services to access Android features on equal terms with Google’s own AI services, including Gemini, while improving competition in search. Google, however, said the decisions could weaken user privacy and device security.
Android AI interoperability
According to the Commission, third-party AI assistants currently have restricted access to key Android system features, preventing them from competing on equal terms with Google’s own AI services, which have full access. As a result, alternative AI assistants are limited in the services they can offer, limiting the experience for the roughly 60% of EU users who use Android devices.
Under the new measures, users will be able to:
- Choose their preferred AI assistant and activate it using voice commands similar to “Hey Google.”
- Allow third-party AI assistants to perform actions across apps on their behalf.
- Use AI assistants for tasks such as booking a taxi, suggesting replies in messaging apps, and answering questions based on recently visited places.
The Commission said the interoperability requirements include safeguards to protect user privacy, device integrity, and security.
Google Search data sharing
The Commission has also specified how Google must share search data with eligible third-party search providers. It said access to this data is important for developing and optimizing competing search engines, creating a more level playing field with Google Search, and supporting alternative search services, including privacy-focused offerings.
The decision clarifies that AI chatbots offering search functionality are eligible to receive shared data and requires Google, subject to anonymization, to provide the same search data it uses to optimize its own search services. It also addresses areas that the Commission said had made Google’s previous data-sharing proposal ineffective.
The Commission said the framework includes:
- A multi-layered anonymization process developed with internal and external privacy experts in line with the draft Joint Guidelines on the interplay of the DMA and GDPR by the European Commission and the European Data Protection Board.
- A provision allowing Google to assess whether sharing data with a specific third party could pose serious cybersecurity or data protection risks before making the data available.
- A transparent process for accessing shared data.
- A fair pricing formula for data sharing.
- The ability to revise the anonymization requirements in the future based on market developments and independent third-party evaluations.
Google raises privacy and security concerns
Responding to the Commission’s decisions, Kent Walker, President of Global Affairs at Google and Alphabet, said the company had repeatedly proposed alternative approaches that would meet the DMA’s objectives while protecting users, but those proposals were not reflected in the final rulings.
Walker said AI assistants already access Android capabilities safely through a process in which device manufacturers review and approve them. He argued that the new interoperability requirements could allow external apps to receive sensitive device permissions without those safeguards, increasing security risks. He also cited guidance from the EU’s cybersecurity agency, which has said that security fundamentals are increasingly important in the age of AI.
Google also opposed the search data-sharing requirements, saying they could expose Europeans’ private search data to unfamiliar companies without adequate anonymization or without users’ knowledge or consent. According to the company, this could weaken user privacy while creating risks for business trade secrets and national security.
Walker added that the Commission’s decision recognizes the need for a flexible, evidence-based implementation process to address potential risks. He said Google would continue to advocate for an approach that protects privacy and security while supporting the DMA’s market objectives.
Timeline
The Commission said the measures are intended to give European users a wider range of AI assistants and search services. The specification decisions are legally binding, with Google required to implement the measures according to the specified timelines.
Implementation timeline:
- January 2027: Google must begin sharing search data with eligible search providers.
- July 2027: Users will start receiving the Android interoperability changes.
The Commission added that the decisions respect Google’s rights of defence and remain subject to independent judicial scrutiny. It also noted that the specification proceedings clarify how Google’s obligations under the DMA should be implemented and are separate from non-compliance investigations, meaning they do not provide for the imposition of fines.