BRUSSELS, Belgium: The European Union outlined new measures requiring Google to make its Android operating system more accessible to competing artificial intelligence services, in a step aimed at strengthening competition in the digital market.
The European Commission said the proposed changes would allow rival AI tools to interact more effectively with applications on Android devices, enabling users to carry out tasks such as sending emails, sharing content or ordering services through their preferred platforms.
“The proposed measures aim to ensure that competing AI services can effectively interact with applications on users’ Android devices and execute tasks accordingly,” the Commission said.
Push for competition
The move comes under the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), a regulatory framework designed to curb the dominance of major technology firms and give consumers greater choice.
Brussels said the proposals would help provide Android users across the EU with broader access to alternative AI services, reinforcing fair competition in the sector.
However, Google criticised the initiative, describing it as an “unwarranted intervention” that could “unnecessarily drive up costs while undermining critical privacy and security protections for European users.”
The measures form part of preliminary findings from a process launched earlier this year and do not yet constitute a formal investigation. However, EU authorities warned that failure to comply could lead to further action, including significant fines under DMA rules.
Google has already faced scrutiny under EU competition laws, including a multibillion-euro penalty imposed last year.
