EU orders Google to open Android and share search data with rival AI assistants

The European Union has issued binding orders under the Digital Markets Act requiring Google to open its Android operating system and share search data with rival artificial intelligence assistants and search engines. Issued on July 16, 2026, the two decisions mandate that Google provide third-party AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude with system-level access previously reserved for its own Gemini, including voice activation, screen context awareness, and cross-app functionality starting in July 2027. Additionally, Google must begin sharing anonymized search query and ranking data with eligible competitors on fair terms by January 2027, a move aimed at breaking the company's entrenched dominance and giving EU Android users a broader, more feature-rich selection of AI options. Google must comply with these structural changes immediately even if it appeals the decisions, marking a significant enforcement of the bloc's digital antitrust rules to ensure fair competition.