EC Orders Google To Share Search Data And Open Up Android For Rival AI Companies Under Digital Markets Act

Hyderabad: The European Commission (EC) has issued two binding orders to Google under the Digital Markets Act (DMA). The trade regulatory body forces the tech giant to open up its operating system (OS) Android to rival Artificial Intelligence (AI) assistants and share search data with competing search engines.

Why EC has issued these orders?

Currently, rival AI assistants have only limited access to key functionalities on Android phones, putting them at a disadvantage compared with Google's own AI service, Gemini. This has made it harder for rival AI tools to offer useful features to the 60 per cent of EU users who own Android devices.

Under the new ruling, users will be allowed to activate their preferred AI assistant using voice commands, similar to the existing "Hey Google" command. They will also be able to let third-party AI assistants carry out tasks on their behalf, such as booking a taxi, suggesting replies in chat apps, or providing information about a place the user has recently visited.

The Commission has said that strong safeguards will be built into the changes to protect user privacy, device security and overall system integrity.

The second order requires Google to share search data with competing search engines to help them improve their services. EC said this data sharing is essential for smaller and privacy-focused search engines to compete fairly with Google Search.

The ruling clarifies several issues that had previously stopped Google's data-sharing plans from working properly. Notably, AI chatbots that offer search features will now be eligible to receive this shared data. Google will also be required to share the same kind of data it uses to improve its own search results, subject to strict anonymisation rules.

How the data will be protected?

To protect user privacy, EC has set out a multi-layered method for anonymising shared data. This approach was developed alongside privacy experts and follows draft guidelines jointly prepared by the Commission and the European Data Protection Board.

However, EC's decision allows Google to check data before sharing to ensure whether doing so could create serious cyber security or data protection risks for a particular company. The Commission may revise the anonymisation rules in future, depending on how the market develops.

The decision also sets out a fair pricing formula for the shared data and a clear process for companies to request access.

Timeline for implementation of these orders

The specification decisions are legally binding, meaning Google must comply within the given timelines. Data sharing with eligible search engines must begin from January 2027, while the changes to Android will start benefiting users from July 2027.

The Commission noted that these decisions fully respect Google's right to a legal defence and can still be reviewed by the courts.

Background to the DMA Case

The DMA is designed to ensure fair competition in digital markets by regulating large platforms known as gatekeepers. On September 2023, EC designated Google Search, Android, Chrome, Google Maps, YouTube, Google Play, Google Shopping and Google's advertising services as core platform services. Since March 2024, Google has been required to fully comply with DMA rules for these services.

The Commission opened separate investigations into Android interoperability and search data sharing in January 2026, later publishing its findings and proposed measures for public feedback in April 2026.

Unlike non-compliance investigations, these specification proceedings do not involve fines, but are meant to clarify how Google should meet its obligations under the law.