The EU mandates for Google Search could have broader implications. Google will be forced to share search data with competing search providers, giving them a better chance at gaining market share and loosening Google’s tight grip on web searches. The Commission alleges that this action was necessary because Google’s previous sharing offers have not gone far enough.
Under the new rules, Google will have to provide data to other search companies transparently and for a reasonable fee. Google will also have to treat AI chatbots as search services for data sharing purposes. The goal is for other companies to gain access to search metrics similar to those seen by Google itself, which EU regulators say is essential for a smaller player to challenge Google’s dominance.
Google calls for “balance”
Google was openly oppose to the new EU rules before they were finalized, and the company is not mincing words now that they are final. Kent Walker, president of global affairs at Google, claims Google offered more measured solutions that it believed could meet the WFD’s goals, but the path chosen by the European Commission goes too far and will harm users.
“Today’s decisions risk undermining vital privacy and security barriers for millions of Europeans,” Walker said.
Walker objects to the Commission’s position that AI assistants need greater access to Android. He says AI tools are widely supported and that phone makers play a key role in overhauling them. Giving non-Gemini AI platforms deeper integration with Android could bypass safeguards, he said.
Similarly, Google maintains that sharing search data, as now required by the EU, will put user privacy at risk. The DMA’s action calls on Google to anonymize data using a multi-layered approach, and the Commission is open to modifying its decision to ensure that identifiable data is handled appropriately. Google acknowledges that regulators are open to adjusting the rules, but Walker still characterizes this ruling as a threat to privacy, commercial trade secrets, and even national security.
Google will have some time to discuss the details with EU regulators. The company should be ready to start sharing search data with other companies in January 2027. The Android platform should be updated for deeper integration with AI applications by July 2027.
