EU orders Google to share search data, Android features with AI rivals
The European Commission has mandated Google to share its search data and open Android features to competitors like OpenAI, threatening the tech giant's competitive moat and likely triggering a legal battle.
The European Commission has ordered Alphabet Inc.’s Google to grant rivals, including OpenAI, access to 11 Android operating system features and the search data used to optimise its services. The mandate, detailed on Thursday, is the regulator’s latest move under the Digital Markets Act to curb the company’s market dominance.
From July 2027, the next Android version will allow users to summon rival artificial intelligence assistants via voice commands to perform tasks like booking taxis or searching for locations. This directly challenges the integrated device advantage currently held by Google’s Gemini AI service.
Starting in January, Google must also share the search data it uses to optimise its services with competing AI chatbots that offer search functionalities. The Commission has established a formula to determine the price of this shared data, which will be subject to strict anonymisation requirements.
For investors, the ruling strikes at two critical pillars of Google’s business moat: its exclusive control over Android hardware integration and its vast, proprietary search data trove. Stripping away this exclusivity alters the fundamental economics of building a search or AI competitor in Europe, significantly lowering barriers to entry.
Google has signalled a probable legal challenge, indicating prolonged regulatory uncertainty for Alphabet. The company’s lawyer, Kent Walker, warned that the decision “risk undermining vital privacy and security guardrails for millions of Europeans.” He added: “We have repeatedly offered solutions to safeguard users while satisfying the DMA’s goals, but these rulings discount extensive evidence of user harm.”
EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen framed the mandate as a necessary step to open the market. “Thanks to these measures, we hope to see emerging alternatives to Google Search and Google’s AI services, such as Gemini, and that users in the EU can enjoy a greater choice of services,” she said.
The Commission noted that Google retains the right to assess rivals for cybersecurity and data protection risks before granting access to the 11 Android features. This action expands an ongoing regulatory crackdown that began last year when the EU accused Alphabet of giving preferential treatment to its own services in search results and restricting external payment options on Google Play.
