The European Union has ordered Google to open key Android functions and anonymized Search data to rival AI assistants and search services. Google and Apple say the measures could weaken privacy and security, while Brussels argues they will increase competition and user choice.
The update concerns the Digital Markets Act (DMA), not the EU AI Act. Reuters, AP, The Wall Street Journal and company statements confirm the central details of the report.
TL;DR
- Google must open 11 Android capabilities to eligible rival AI assistants from July 2027.
- Selected rivals can receive anonymized Search data from January 2027.
- Google and Apple warn that wider access could weaken device and data safeguards.
- The European Commission says privacy, cybersecurity and eligibility checks will apply.
EU Orders Google To Open Android And Search
The European Commission finalized two DMA decisions covering Android interoperability and access to Google Search data. Rival assistants are expected to receive 11 Android features, including voice activation and background actions such as finding information, booking restaurants or ordering taxis.
The Android changes are due in July 2027. Separately, Google must begin sharing certain anonymized data used to optimize Search with qualifying search engines and AI chatbots from January 2027.
The Commission said Google can assess whether applicants create cybersecurity or data-protection risks before granting access. It also said the framework includes safeguards and eligibility conditions, meaning every AI service will not automatically receive unrestricted access.
“Thanks to these measures, we hope to see emerging alternatives to Google Search and Google’s AI services,” said EU technology chief Henna Virkkunen.
Google Says The Safeguards Do Not Go Far Enough
Google strongly disagrees. Kent Walker, President of Global Affairs at Google and Alphabet, said, “Today’s decisions risk undermining vital privacy and security guardrails for millions of Europeans.”
Google argues that device makers currently help vet assistants accessing sensitive Android capabilities. It warned that unfamiliar companies could receive private Search information without sufficient anonymization, user knowledge or consent, putting personal data, trade secrets and national security at risk.
However, the final framework gives Google an initial role in assessing rivals and allows measures to be adjusted. The dispute is therefore not about whether safeguards exist, but whether regulators have set them high enough.
Why Apple Is Part Of The Story
Apple is not directly bound by these two Google decisions, but it previously submitted feedback supporting Google’s concerns. In May, Apple warned that the draft measures could create “profound risks” for privacy, security, device integrity and performance because AI systems can behave unpredictably.
The company has a clear stake in the outcome. Apple said it would delay Siri AI in the EU after regulators rejected its proposed Trusted System Agent, an intermediary designed to give third-party assistants controlled access to Siri-like functions.
“Our hope is to eventually bring Siri AI to the EU,” said Apple software chief Craig Federighi, although Apple has not provided an iPhone or iPad launch timeline for the bloc.
What Does This Mean For AI Competition?
The decision could give OpenAI and other developers deeper access to Android and Search infrastructure, reducing Google’s platform advantage. Yet it also makes privacy engineering the central test of the DMA’s AI-era enforcement.
Topics for more insights:
For European users, the promised benefit is more assistant choice. The unresolved question is whether Brussels and Big Tech can create interoperability without making personal devices and Search histories easier targets.
