The European Commission has issued two binding designation measures to Google under the Digital Markets Act (DMA). These decisions requires the advertising giant to open both its Android operating system and its search data to competitors during 2027.
The Commission's goal is to ensure that alternative AI services and search engines can compete on equal terms with Google's own services, such as Gemini and Google Search.
Recently, Google's top security management warned that EU regulation could expose everyone's search histories to hackers and undermine phone security. According to Google, its own researchers managed to break the anonymization planned by EU decision-makers in less than two hours.
However, the Commission assures in its recent decision that the new measures include robust safeguards to protect user privacy and device integrity.
The first of the changes mandated by the Commission concerns AI services on Android devices, which are set to open up to competition in July 2027. Currently, AI assistants from other companies have only limited access to the operating system's core functions, while Google's own Gemini assistant has full rights.
In the future, users will be able to activate their preferred third-party AI assistant with voice commands equivalent to "Hey Google". Furthermore, these alternative AIs can perform tasks directly within apps on behalf of the user, such as ordering a taxi or suggesting replies in chat applications.
The second binding decision concerns the sharing of Google's search data, which must begin in January 2027. Google is obliged to share the search queries, clicks, and search result rankings it collects with third-party search engines and AI-powered chatbots that offer search functionalities.
The conditions for sharing are a fair pricing formula and data anonymization. The Commission emphasizes that it has developed a multi-layered method for data protection in cooperation with data protection authorities, and Google has the right to refuse data sharing if it detects serious cybersecurity or data protection risks in the recipient.
Google must now implement the required changes within the given deadlines, and the first effects will be visible to consumers starting from the beginning of 2027.
Recently, Google's top security management warned that EU regulation could expose everyone's search histories to hackers and undermine phone security. According to Google, its own researchers managed to break the anonymization planned by EU decision-makers in less than two hours.
However, the Commission assures in its recent decision that the new measures include robust safeguards to protect user privacy and device integrity.
The first of the changes mandated by the Commission concerns AI services on Android devices, which are set to open up to competition in July 2027. Currently, AI assistants from other companies have only limited access to the operating system's core functions, while Google's own Gemini assistant has full rights.
In the future, users will be able to activate their preferred third-party AI assistant with voice commands equivalent to "Hey Google". Furthermore, these alternative AIs can perform tasks directly within apps on behalf of the user, such as ordering a taxi or suggesting replies in chat applications.
The second binding decision concerns the sharing of Google's search data, which must begin in January 2027. Google is obliged to share the search queries, clicks, and search result rankings it collects with third-party search engines and AI-powered chatbots that offer search functionalities.
The conditions for sharing are a fair pricing formula and data anonymization. The Commission emphasizes that it has developed a multi-layered method for data protection in cooperation with data protection authorities, and Google has the right to refuse data sharing if it detects serious cybersecurity or data protection risks in the recipient.
"With today's measures, we want to support innovation and diversity in the European Union and enable fair competition in the markets for AI assistants on Android devices and search engines. Thanks to these measures, we hope that new alternatives will emerge for Google Search and Google's AI services, such as Gemini, and that users in the EU can enjoy a wider range of services. All developers, big and small, are welcome to explore these new opportunities, which will certainly also benefit users," commented Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President for Technological Sovereignty, Security, and Democracy.
Google must now implement the required changes within the given deadlines, and the first effects will be visible to consumers starting from the beginning of 2027.
