European Commission provides guidance to Google for AI interoperability on Android and sharing of Google Search data under the Digital Markets Act

The European Commission issued two sets of binding specification measures to Google under the Digital Markets Act. The aim of the first specification measures is to ensure that competitors' Artificial Intelligence (AI) services can compete with Google's own AI services, such as Gemini, by having equal access to features on Google's Android devices.  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. This 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.
The aim of the second specification measures is to rebalance the playing field by giving third-party search engines access to search data that only Google Search can collect at scale. 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. Lastly, the measures lay out a fair formula to calculate the price of the shared data, and a transparent process for accessing the data.