# EU forces Google to provide Android access and search data to rivals > Source: > Published: 2026-07-16 23:05:33+00:00 The European Commission has issued two sets of binding measures requiring Google to give rival artificial intelligence services equal access to key Android features and provide eligible search competitors with data collected by Google Search under the European Union’s Digital Markets Act. The measures are intended to help competing AI assistants operate more effectively on Android devices while allowing third-party search engines to develop and improve their services using data that Google Search can collect at scale, the Commission said on July 16. The first decision gives rival services access to hardware and software functions within Google’s Android operating system, while the second requires Google to share certain search data with eligible providers, including AI chatbots offering search functionality. **Rival AI assistants gain deeper Android access** Competing AI assistants currently have restricted access to important Android functions, limiting their ability to offer services comparable with Google’s own AI products, including Gemini, according to the Commission. The regulator said that imbalance makes alternative assistants less attractive to users because Google’s own services have fuller access to Android’s underlying capabilities. Under the binding measures, users will be able to activate their preferred third-party AI assistant through voice commands in a way similar to using the “Hey Google” command. Those assistants will also be able to act inside applications on a user’s behalf, including booking a taxi, suggesting relevant replies in chat apps and answering questions about places the user recently visited. The requirements are intended to give rival services equal access to Android features while protecting user privacy, device integrity and security, the Commission said. **Search rivals gain access to Google data** After finding that several aspects of Google’s existing data-sharing offer had been ineffective, the Commission clarified which services qualify for access and what information must be shared. The measures specify that AI chatbots offering search functionality may qualify to receive the data. Once the information has been anonymized, Google must give eligible rivals access to the same types of data it uses to improve Google Search. The decision also establishes a multi-layered anonymization method developed with internal and external privacy experts, while reflecting draft joint guidance from the Commission and the European Data Protection Board on how the Digital Markets Act interacts with the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation. ## Google can assess risks before sharing data Google will be permitted to assess whether sharing information with a particular third party could create serious cybersecurity or data-protection risks before providing access. The Commission may revise the requirements as the market develops, including after independent evaluations of the anonymization measures. The measures also set out a formula for calculating the price Google may charge eligible companies for shared search data, alongside a transparent process for requesting access. The Commission said the two decisions are intended to broaden the range of AI and search services available to European users, allowing rival companies to offer more developed alternatives on Android and compete more effectively with Google Search and Gemini.