EU Orders Google to Open Android and Search Data to AI Rivals Under DMA

The European Union has issued two landmark rulings requiring Google to grant rival AI assistants and search engines meaningful access to Android and Google Search data — a move that could fundamentally reshape how competition works across two of the most powerful platforms in tech. Google has until January 2027 to begin sharing search data and until July 2027 to implement the Android changes.

The Android ruling centers on interoperability: Google must give competing AI assistants — think ChatGPT, Claude, or Perplexity — the same depth of system-level access currently reserved for its own Gemini assistant. In practice, that means rival tools could respond to 'Hey Google' wake commands, interact with apps, and tap into device hardware in ways previously locked to Gemini. Critically, the decision shifts control to users, letting them choose which assistant gets that deep integration rather than having Google default it to Gemini.

The Search ruling addresses a different but related bottleneck: the proprietary data Google's search engine generates. Competing search engines and AI chatbots — explicitly included because they increasingly function like search engines — would gain access to this historically siloed information. The measure mirrors remedies ordered in the parallel U.S. search antitrust case, where Google was also instructed to share search data with rivals to level the competitive playing field.

Google has fought both requirements, arguing they create unacceptable privacy and security risks. The company's president of global affairs Kent Walker said the decisions risk undermining privacy safeguards for millions of Europeans. The EU pushed back, saying Google can vet which services receive deeper Android access and that limits will govern how shared search data is used. Non-compliance would expose Google to fines of up to 10% of its global annual revenue — potentially tens of billions of dollars.

The rulings carry implications well beyond Google. Apple, which has explicitly blamed the DMA for withholding its upgraded Siri AI from European users, is watching closely. How Brussels enforces these interoperability standards against Google will likely set the template for how it presses Apple and other designated tech gatekeepers to open their ecosystems.