The European Union on Thursday ordered Google to share search data with rival search engines and open its Android operating system to competing artificial intelligence services under the bloc’s Digital Markets Act (DMA).
The European Commission said the measures are intended to boost competition and give consumers greater choice in digital services.
Under the new requirements, Google will be required to begin sharing search data from January 2027, while changes allowing greater access to Android for competing services are expected to take effect from July 2027.
EU Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty Henna Virkkunen said the changes are designed to encourage competition in online search and AI.
“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 greater choice of services,” she said.
The Commission said Android users should, for example, be able to select and activate their preferred AI assistant using voice commands instead of relying solely on Google’s services.
Google criticised the decision, arguing that mandatory data sharing could expose users to new risks.
The company said the measures “introduce unprecedented risks to user privacy, device security, and national security.”
The latest move marks another step in the EU’s efforts to curb the dominance of major technology companies through the Digital Markets Act, legislation aimed at opening digital markets to greater competition.