| Event | Deadline |
| Search data sharing begins | January 2027 |
| Android AI integration compliance | July 2027 |
The European Commission Forces Google to Share Search Data
The European Commission has issued binding instructions requiring Google to open its Android operating system and search data to competitors. Under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), Google must provide rival AI assistants with access comparable to its own tools by July 2027, following a series of regulatory mandates finalized this week. The European Commission—the EU’s executive arm and the principal enforcer of the bloc’s competition rules—handed down the decision on Thursday.
Mandated Data Sharing and Android Integration
The Commission’s recent decision marks an escalation in its oversight of Google’s search and mobile dominance. Regulators have ordered the company to share its search data with competing search providers, aiming to lower the barrier to entry for smaller firms. The Commission alleges that this action was necessary because Google’s past sharing offers have not gone far enough. Under the new rules, Google will have to provide data to other search firms transparently and for a reasonable fee. Additionally, Google must treat AI chatbots as search services for the purposes of data sharing, ensuring other companies gain access to search metrics similar to what Google itself sees.
Beyond search, the ruling specifically targets the integration of AI tools within the Android ecosystem. The Commission found that rival AI assistants currently face restricted access to key features of the Android operating system and are not able to compete equally with the tech group’s own services. Google must now give rival AI assistants the same kind of system features and data access it currently grants to Google’s Gemini.
Kent Walker Claims Google Mandates Risk European User Safety
Google’s Privacy Objections and Regulatory Deadlines
Google has expressed strong opposition to the ruling, with the company’s leadership arguing that the mandates could compromise the safety of European users. Kent Walker, Google’s president of global affairs, stated, Today’s decisions risk undermining vital privacy and security guardrails for millions of Europeans.
Walker further contends that AI tools are currently widely supported, with phone makers playing a key role in vetting them. He argued that granting non-Gemini AI platforms deeper integration with Android could circumvent existing safeguards. Furthermore, Google contends that sharing search data as the EU now demands will risk user privacy. While the DMA action calls on Google to anonymize data using a multilayered approach, and the Commission is open to amending its decision to ensure identifiable data is appropriately handled, Walker characterizes the ruling as a threat to privacy, business trade secrets, and national security.
Despite these objections, the company faces a strict timeline for compliance. Google must be ready to start sharing search data with other companies in January 2027. The Android platform must be updated for deeper integration with AI apps by July 2027.
Apple Delays Siri AI Features Due to Regulatory Friction
Strategic Divergence: Google Versus Apple
The regulatory landscape has created a contrast between how Google and Apple manage DMA requirements. While Google has opted to stay in the market and negotiate compliance, Apple has notably withheld its Siri AI features from the European Union. Apple argued that providing the level of interoperability required by the Commission would be irresponsible and create unacceptable privacy and security risks. Apple requested 18 months to build a compliant version and introduce the required interoperability on a gradually rolling basis; however, the Commission rejected that proposal.
Apple subsequently made the decision to delay the launch of its AI features in the region, using a blog post titled Due to DMA, Siri AI delayed in EU for iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 to explain the decision. Apple also dedicated part of its WWDC 2026 keynote to the issue.
Google Maintains Market Position While Negotiating Technical Compliance
Google’s decision to continue operating while hashing out technical details provides a competitive advantage. By securing a yearlong runway to comply with the DMA while keeping its Gemini assistant preinstalled as the default on many Android devices, Google maintains its market position. Whether Google chooses to challenge these specific mandates in court remains an open question; the company has not publicly confirmed its legal strategy, and it declined to comment on the record when inquired.
Related reading
