The European Commission has made a decision that marks a watershed moment in regulating big tech companies. Google must open Android and its search engine to competition, thus complying with the Digital Markets Act. Two legally binding measures will come into force in the coming months, a decision that follows six months of investigation and represents Europe's most aggressive approach yet against the Californian company's dominance in the digital ecosystem.

Android will have to share Gemini access with other AI assistants

The first front of this regulatory battle affects Google's mobile operating system. From July 2025 onwards, Android must offer other artificial intelligence assistants the same level of integration that Gemini, Google's assistant, currently enjoys, according to hipertextual.com. Europe believes that rival AIs currently cannot compete on equal terms because they do not have full access to the operating system.

The measure is concrete: Google will have to allow third-party assistants to be activated via voice commands like "Hey, Google", and to automate tasks and interactions with other applications. This means a user could book a trip, add events to the calendar or execute other critical functions through a competing assistant with the same ease as they do today with Gemini.

Google's search engine will also have to share data

The second pillar of this decision focuses on the search engine. Google must share anonymised data on the use of its search engine with competitors, starting from January 2027. This information, which only Google can collect at scale, will allow alternative platforms to become genuine competitors.

The order is not limited to traditional search engines, but also includes web-enabled AI chatbots. Brussels's logic is clear: without data, there is no real competition. And Google holds an almost insurmountable informational advantage accumulated over years of market dominance.

Google protests: "It's a privacy risk"

The Californian company has not been intimidated by the European mandate. Google has publicly protested against these decisions, arguing that they represent a risk to the privacy and security of European citizens. According to the company, third-party AI assistants can already safely access the most important Android functionalities.

Beyond Android, Google has expressed concerns about sharing search engine data. The company argues that handing over search information to unknown companies could expose Europeans' private data without proper anonymisation, compromise trade secrets and affect national security. A position that directly contrasts with the vision of European regulators on how competition should function in digital markets.

A change of rules in the digital game

These decisions frame a broader battle between Europe and major US tech companies. The EU's Digital Markets Act seeks to level a playing field where winners tend to consolidate indefinitely. Google has been the epicentre of this regulatory confrontation, though Meta, Apple and other giants have also been targets.

The timelines are set: access to Android will begin in July 2025, whilst search engine data sharing will start in January 2027. It remains to be seen how Google will implement these measures and whether the European Commission will consider them sufficient or if new sanctions and demands will continue to arrive. What is clear is that the closed business model Google has maintained for years is coming to an end, at least in Europe.