As part of its investigation into potential violations by Google under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), the European Commission has submitted proposals designed to ensure that competing artificial intelligence (AI) services can function effectively alongside Google’s own AI offerings within the Android operating system.
The proposals aim to guarantee that competing AI applications can interact with user data and perform essential functions-such as sending an email using the user’s preferred app, ordering food, or sharing a photo-without being restricted by Google’s ecosystem. Currently, Google largely restricts these functionalities to its proprietary AI services available on its own Android smartphones and tablets.
EU Competition Commissioner Teresa Ribera emphasized the growing importance of AI in daily life for European citizens, stating, “AI services are gaining increasing significance for EU citizens using their mobile devices. The measures proposed today will offer Android users more choice concerning the AI services they use and integrate into their smart phones, including the wide range of AI services that compete with Google’s own AI”.
Echoing this sentiment, EU Communications Commissioner Henna Virkkunen stressed that achieving interoperability is crucial for unlocking the full potential of AI technologies. She explained, “These measures will open up Android devices to a wider range of AI services, allowing users the freedom to choose the AI services best suited to their needs and values, without having to sacrifice functionality. The voice of the market is important, and we encourage all interested parties to provide feedback on the measures proposed today”.
The DMA is designed to guarantee fair and competitive digital markets by regulating the activities of major digital platforms, or “gatekeepers”. These platforms act as crucial intermediaries between businesses and consumers, and their dominant position can allow them to create pinch points in the digital economy.
The Commission previously designated Google Search, Google Play, Google Maps, YouTube, the Google Android operating system, Google Chrome, Google Shopping, and Alphabet’s online advertising services as core platform services on September 6, 2023. The EU Commission reminded the public that Alphabet has been required to fully implement all applicable DMA obligations concerning these designated services since March 7, 2024.