The European Commission has ordered Google to open Android to rival AI assistants and to share its search data with competitors.
Both decisions fall under the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA). The law forces “gatekeeper” platforms to give rivals access comparable to their own. They are binding specification measures, not fines, and spell out what Google must do.
Rival AI on Android
Currently, on Android phones, competitors’ AI assistants only have restricted access to key functionalities of the Google Android operating system. Without this access, alternative AI assistants are not competing on an equal footing with Google’s own AI services that have full access.
Third-party AI assistants are therefore limited in how they can offer their innovative services, making them less attractive to 60% of EU users who have an Android device.
According to the Commission, today’s decision will ensure that users can activate their preferred AI assistant via voice commands, similar to the “Hey Google” command. Users will be able to use third-party AI assistants to perform actions in apps on their behalf.
For instance, they will be able to delegate tasks such as booking a taxi, receive suggestions for relevant replies in chat apps, or ask the AI assistant about a recently visited place. Importantly, the measures incorporate robust safeguards to ensure that the privacy of users, device integrity and security are protected.
Google search data
The second decision specifies how Google should share search data with other search engines. Data sharing is crucial for the development and optimisation of third-party search engines. It helps to create a more level playing field with Google Search, and fosters innovative search services, which includes privacy-focused alternatives.
The decision provides guidance on several key aspects which have made Google’s data sharing offer ineffective so far.
For example, it specifies that AI chatbots offering search functionalities are eligible to receive shared data, and that, subject to anonymisation, Google should share the same data that it collects to optimise its own search services.
The decision ensures anonymisation of search data. It sets out a multi-layered method to anonymise the shared data, developed in close collaboration with internal and external privacy experts and in line with the draft Joint Guidelines on the interplay of the DMA and GDPR by the Commission and the European Data Protection Board.
The decision further allows Google to assess, before sharing any data, whether sharing such data with a specific third party poses serious cybersecurity and data protection risks.
Lastly, the measures lay out a fair formula to calculate the price of the shared data, and a transparent process for accessing the data.
The Commission says that the aim of these measures is to allow companies to be able to offer European users a wider and more feature-rich range of options to choose from, both when it comes to their AI services on Android and to search services.
Google Unhappy
Google is unhappy, as it has been with most EU rulings against it. Its president of global affairs, Kent Walker, said in a statement that the decisions “risk undermining vital privacy and security guardrails for millions of Europeans.”
“Europeans’ private searches would be exposed to unfamiliar companies, without adequate anonymisation… without user knowledge or consent,” Walker said.
He argued the changes would “weaken citizens’ privacy, risk business trade secrets, and endanger national security.”
The Commission says its anonymisation is strong. Google can also refuse data to any firm that poses serious security risks, it notes.
If Google does not comply, the Commission can fine it up to 10% of global annual turnover.
