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

The two decisions

The European Commission adopted two binding decisions against Google on 16 July 2026 under the Digital Markets Act. The first forces the company to open its Android operating system to third-party AI assistants. The second requires Google to share data collected through Google Search with rival search engines and AI chatbots that offer search functions. Both measures are legally binding and come with staggered implementation deadlines.

Opening Android to AI rivals

The Android decision targets 11 core functionalities that are currently reserved for Google's own Gemini assistant. Once the changes take effect in July 2027, users will be able to activate a rival AI assistant via voice commands, similar to the "Hey Google" wake word, and use it to book a taxi, retrieve information about a visited location, or interact with chat apps. The Commission said the move is designed to prevent Google from using its dominant mobile OS to box out competitors. Android runs on roughly 60% of smartphones worldwide, making access to its features a critical entry point for AI services.

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.

The Commission acknowledged that the required code changes justify a one-year lead time. Google may still restrict access if a third-party provider poses cybersecurity or data protection risks, but the default is open access.

Sharing Google Search data

The second decision compels Google to share the data it collects to optimise its own search services with competitors, including AI chatbots that perform search functions. The data must be anonymised, and an independent third party will evaluate the anonymisation methods. A formula to calculate the price of the shared data is included in the measure. Data sharing must begin by January 2027. The obligation mirrors remedies already imposed in the US antitrust case against Google's search business.

Google's pushback

Google immediately criticised the rulings. Kent Walker, the company's President of Global Affairs, said the decisions "risk undermining vital privacy and security guardrails for millions of Europeans" and accused the Commission of discounting extensive evidence of user harm. He added that forcing Google to share search data could "endanger national security." Earlier this year, Apple also defended Google, arguing that such an opening would create a privacy nightmare.

We have repeatedly offered solutions to safeguard users while satisfying the DMA's goals, but these rulings discount extensive evidence of user harm.

What happens next

The decisions do not impose immediate fines, but if Google fails to comply, the Commission can levy penalties of up to 10% of Alphabet's global annual turnover. Google has not yet said whether it will challenge the measures in court, though its stern warnings suggest a legal fight is likely. The timeline gives the company until January 2027 for search data sharing and until July 2027 for the Android overhaul.