EU Directs Google to Share Data with Competing AI Assistants

The European Commission has ordered Google to provide competing artificial intelligence (AI) assistants and search engines with access to both Android and Google Search data. This mandate, following two binding decisions made on July 16, 2026, marks a significant step in enhancing competition within the technology sector in Europe. The regulations are framed under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), a piece of legislation designed to curtail the power of major tech companies by ensuring that dominant platforms grant fair access to their services.

The primary focus is on the two platforms that form the backbone of Google's operations in Europe. The new measures mandate that rivals receive a level of access to Google's systems and data which regulators assert has not been previously afforded to them. These decisions detail the compliance expectations for Google by specifically outlining the features and capabilities that must be shared with competitive AI technologies.

The first decision is significantly oriented towards how rival AI assistants can function on Android. According to the Commission, competing assistants have traditionally faced restrictions that limit their operational capabilities on the platform, while Google's own AI assistant, Gemini, has had full access. The newly established regulations will provide access to 11 essential features of the Android operating system, such as voice activation and cross-app functionality, enabling third-party AI assistants like OpenAI’s ChatGPT or Anthropic's Claude to integrate seamlessly. Users will be empowered to activate these alternative assistants vocally, thus facilitating tasks from drafting emails to retrieving flight information during phone calls.

The second decision obliges Google to share anonymised data from its search engine, which includes query results, ranking signals, and click-through rates. This data, vital for enhancing search functionalities, will now be available to other providers, aiming to level the competitive landscape in Europe’s AI sector. Historically dominating the European search market with over 90% share, Google maintains that such information is crucial for rival companies, which cannot independently collate similar databases.

The Commission intervened due to the ineffectiveness of an earlier data-sharing offer from Google, which stripped essential queries from the dataset, consequently limiting the potential for genuine competition among AI chatbots. By implementing a comprehensive anonymisation process, the Commission has worked alongside privacy experts to ensure compliance with privacy norms while facilitating data access. However, users will remain in control of which assistants can utilise this information to improve their services.

Henna Virkkunen, the Commission's executive vice-president for tech sovereignty, commented that these measures seek to promote alternatives to Google’s services and to expand user choice within the EU.

In response, Google has voiced significant concerns regarding the mandates. Kent Walker, the President of Global Affairs at Google, warned that the decisions might jeopardise vital privacy and security measures for European users. He expressed apprehensions that opening Android’s permissions could bypass established safeguards and that sharing search insights could lead to privacy breaches.

The European Commission contends that adequate measures are in place and stated that these rules could be reassessed should independent evaluations reveal deficiencies in the anonymisation protocols. Since these are specification measures rather than punitive actions, there will be no immediate fines attached; however, Google is now exposed to the risk of facing penalties of up to 10% of its global revenue in case of non-compliance.

As the changes roll out, they are set to influence the broader market dynamics. Google is required to implement the necessary adjustments by August 2027 with the next major release of Android, while the search data-sharing arrangements are scheduled to begin in January 2027. The new regulations, applying to roughly 427 million devices across Europe, could lead to a shift in user behaviour, allowing for a more diverse range of AI services to thrive within the marketplace.

The decisions may also serve as a potential precursor for regulatory approaches towards other tech giants, such as Apple, which has similarly cited interoperability concerns regarding AI features in the EU.

The implications of these rulings extend beyond merely enforcing competition; they raise critical questions about user privacy in the evolving AI landscape. Experts warn that if adequate safeguards are not enforced, the integration of AI assistants could lead to unintended privacy violations or misuse of personal data. As the dialogue around AI continues to develop, raising public awareness about the implications of such technologies will be a fundamental challenge moving forward.