The European Union has ordered Google to open two of its most valuable platforms to competitors, requiring the company to share Android system features and Search data with rival AI assistants and search engines by 2027. The decisions, handed down on July 16, 2026, represent a significant enforcement action under the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA), a landmark regulation designed to prevent dominant tech platforms from unfairly blocking competition.

What Is the EU Forcing Google to Do?

The European Commission issued two separate rulings targeting different parts of Google's business. The first requires Google to give competing AI assistants like ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity the same system-level access that Google's own Gemini AI receives on Android devices. The second mandates that Google share valuable search data with rival search engines and AI chatbots that function as search tools.

In practical terms, the Android decision means users will eventually be able to choose alternative AI assistants as their default system assistant, with comparable access to device hardware and capabilities. This includes the ability to respond to voice commands, interact with apps, and access phone features that Gemini currently enjoys exclusively. The Search data-sharing requirement echoes remedies ordered in the U.S. antitrust case against Google, where the company was instructed to share search information that could help competitors improve their products.

When Must Google Comply, and What Are the Penalties?

Google has until January 2027 to begin sharing search data and July 2027 to implement changes to Android. These are not voluntary guidelines; they are binding legal requirements. If Google fails to comply, the European Commission can impose fines of up to 10 percent of the company's annual worldwide turnover, potentially reaching tens of billions of dollars.

The rulings stem from technical regulatory proceedings under the DMA, which designates dominant platforms as "gatekeepers" and requires them to give competitors comparable access to systems and data. Unlike financial penalties imposed after violations, these procedures require companies to change their operations proactively to comply with the regulation.

How to Understand the Broader Impact on Tech Competition

• AI Assistant Competition: Android users in Europe will gain the ability to choose from multiple deeply integrated AI assistants instead of being locked into Gemini, potentially accelerating innovation in the AI assistant market.
• Search Engine Alternatives: Competing search engines and AI-powered search tools will have access to data historically kept proprietary by Google, leveling the playing field for emerging alternatives to Google Search.
• Privacy and Security Framework: The EU has stated there will be limits on how search data can be used, and Google will be able to vet which services get deeper Android access to ensure user safety and security are not compromised.

Google has pushed back against both measures, arguing they pose unacceptable risks to user privacy and security. In a statement after the decisions, Kent Walker, Google's president of global affairs, said the rulings "risk undermining vital privacy and security guardrails for millions of Europeans," and noted that the company had "repeatedly offered solutions to safeguard users while satisfying the DMA's goals".

Kent Walker, Google's president of global affairs

"With today's measures, we want to support innovation and diversity in the European Union, enabling fair competition in the markets of AI assistant for Android devices and search engines," said Henna Virkkunen, European Commission executive vice president for tech sovereignty, security, and democracy.

Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice President for Tech Sovereignty, Security, and Democracy, European Commission

Virkkunen added that the EU hopes to see emerging alternatives to Google Search and Gemini flourish, giving European users greater choice of services.

What Does This Mean for Other Tech Giants?

Today's rulings offer a preview of how the European Commission will approach similar interoperability questions involving other dominant tech platforms. Apple, for instance, declined to release its Siri AI assistant in Europe, explicitly blaming the DMA and arguing that its interoperability requirements compromise user safety. The Google decisions suggest that the EU will not accept such arguments without extensive evidence and may push other tech giants to comply with similar data-sharing and interoperability requirements.

The implications extend beyond Google. The DMA applies to any platform designated as a "gatekeeper," and the Commission's willingness to enforce these requirements through binding technical procedures signals that other major tech companies should expect similar scrutiny if they control critical digital infrastructure in Europe.

These rulings represent a watershed moment in European tech regulation. By forcing Google to open Android and Search to competitors, the EU is attempting to reshape the competitive landscape for AI assistants and search engines in one of the world's largest markets. Whether Google complies fully, negotiates modifications, or challenges the decisions in court will determine how aggressively the DMA reshapes the European tech industry over the next year.