EU orders Google to open Android and Search to AI rivals, including OpenAI

The European Commission just told the most dominant search engine on the planet to share its toys. On July 16, the Commission ordered Alphabet’s Google to open parts of Android and its Search infrastructure to rival AI assistants and search engines, including OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Anthropic’s Claude.

The mandate, issued under the Digital Markets Act, is the most aggressive interoperability demand Brussels has aimed at Big Tech to date.

What Brussels is demanding

The orders break down into two distinct requirements with staggered deadlines.

First, Google must share selected Search data with competitors and AI tools by January 2027.

Second, by July 2027, Google must update Android to grant rival AI assistants system-level integration options. That includes wake-word activation, meaning a user could summon ChatGPT the same way they currently invoke Google Assistant, and access to neural processing units, the specialized chips in modern smartphones that handle AI workloads.

The legal basis sits in DMA Article 6(7), which imposes interoperability obligations on designated “gatekeepers.” Google, unsurprisingly, qualifies.

The search data sharing component echoes remedies being pursued in US antitrust proceedings against Google.

Google’s objections and the regulatory backdrop

Google has pushed back, citing privacy and security risks for users. EU officials were unmoved, endorsing the orders as a necessary step toward fostering innovation, enhancing user choice, and encouraging competition.

These measures build upon investigations launched in January 2026 into Android feature accessibility. A July 2026 EU General Court ruling further supported the Commission’s authority to impose these requirements.

The DMA itself has been operational since early 2024. This latest order represents a meaningful step up in both scope and specificity.

Why crypto and digital asset markets should pay attention

No crypto tokens, blockchain protocols, or digital assets were mentioned anywhere in this ruling. This is squarely a traditional tech regulation story.

The DMA is establishing a regulatory template for how dominant digital platforms must interact with competitors. Apple’s App Store restrictions on crypto apps and Google Play’s historically inconsistent treatment of DeFi applications are well-documented pain points. If the DMA framework successfully forces interoperability at the operating system level for AI tools, the logical next question becomes: do decentralized applications deserve similar treatment?

The wake-word activation precedent is particularly interesting. If Brussels can mandate that Android phones must allow users to summon ChatGPT as easily as Google Assistant, the argument for requiring equal access for crypto wallet interfaces or decentralized identity tools becomes considerably stronger.

The January 2027 deadline for search data sharing is worth watching closely. If Google is compelled to share search data with AI competitors, the information asymmetry that has underpinned its advertising dominance starts to erode.

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