EU Tells Google To Open Up AI On Android; Google Says That's 'Unwarranted Intervention'

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: In January, the European Commission began an initial investigation, known as a specification proceeding, into how Google has implemented AI in the Android operating system. The results are in, and the EU says Android needs to be more open, which is not surprising. Meanwhile, Google says this amounts to "unwarranted intervention," which is equally unsurprising. Regardless of Google's characterization of the investigation, the commission may force Google to make Android AI changes this summer. This action stems from the continent's Digital Markets Act (DMA), a sweeping law that designates seven dominant technology companies as "gatekeepers" that are subject to greater regulation to ensure fair competition. Google has consistently spoken against the regulations imposed under the DMA, but it and the other gatekeepers have been subject to the law for several years now, and there's little chance the commission backs away from it.

The issue before the commission currently is the built-in advantage for Gemini on Android. When you turn on any Google-powered Android phone, Gemini is already there and gets special treatment at the system level. The European Commission is taking aim at the lack of features available to third-party AI services. The commission believes that there are too many experiences on Android that only work with Google's Gemini AI, and as a gatekeeper, Google must change that. "As we navigate the rapidly evolving landscape of AI, it is clear that interoperability is key to unlocking the full potential of these technologies," said Commission VP for Tech Sovereignty Henna Virkkunen in a statement. "These measures will open up Android devices to a wider range of AI services, so that users will have the freedom to choose the AI services that best meet their needs and values, without sacrificing functionality."

The commission does have a solid track record pushing for openness so far. Since the DMA came into force, Google has been required to make numerous changes to its business in Europe, like implementing search choice screens on Android, allowing alternative payment methods in the Play Store, and limiting data sharing across services. Now, the EU wants Google to make the Android platform more hospitable to third-party AI services. Google's objection focuses on preserving the autonomy for device makers (including Google) to customize AI services. "This unwarranted intervention would strip away that autonomy, mandate access to sensitive hardware and device permissions; unnecessarily driving up costs while undermining critical privacy and security protections for European users," said Google senior competition counsel Claire Kelly. The problem isn't that you can't install ChatGPT or Grok; it's that these chatbots don't have the same access to data and features as Gemini.

To address that imbalance, the EU is considering several requirements that would force Google to give third-party AI assistants deeper access to Android, closer to what Gemini currently enjoys. The proposed requirements include:
- Letting alternative AI tools be launched system-wide through hot words, gestures, or button presses.
- Allowing third-party assistants to see screen context when users invoke them.
- Giving non-Gemini AI tools access to local device data, with user permission, so they can generate proactive suggestions, summaries, and contextual help.
- Allowing other AI services to control installed apps and Android system features on the user's behalf.
- Ensuring third-party developers can access the necessary device hardware to run local AI models with strong performance, availability, and responsiveness.
- Requiring Google to create APIs that let outside AI providers plug into Android more deeply.
- Requiring Google to provide technical assistance to those AI providers.
- Making those APIs and support available free of charge.

Anti monopoly regulations are great

[Luckyo]

I honestly wish US had anti-monopoly regulation that worked in a similar manner.

But also, I wish EU stopped google from locking down android in a few months. For those not in the know, google plans to do an over the air update to play services which will prevent users from installing apps from sources other than play, unless that dev pays google for the pleasure and identifies him/herself and agrees to terms.

Oh and if your app blocks ads or other "terms violations"? Google says fuck you, we own those phones and you're not installing your app on it. It's the classic "one party consents, other party also consents, but have you forgotten to ask the giant corporation for consent?" moment.

Re: Anti monopoly regulations are great

[FudRucker]

RE:"google plans to do an over the air update to play services which will prevent users from installing apps from sources other than google playstore"

I hope the GrapheneOS/Motorola phone makes a great alternative to the apple/google duopoly because I am peeved at their smartphone tyranny, I will buy two of them ASAP when they make it to market

Re:

[AleRunner]

Very very happy with GraphenOS on an older phone right now. Some app incompatibility (so perhaps test if you have something you really need) but overall it just makes sense whether you decide to compromise by installing Google Play or not.

Re:

[thegarbz]

But also, I wish EU stopped google from locking down android in a few months.

You can't stop someone from doing something, you can only punish them after they have done it. I am sure the EU will clamp down on this (it's a regression from the app store debate that has been going on for a few years now) but you can't punish a company on intent. Until they actually make the change there's nothing the EU can do.

M$ and Edge browser

[evanh]

M$ is forcing Edge back into everything yet again. Where's the enforcement gone on that?

Re:

[gweihir]

MS does not seem to be doing that in Europe. At least I failed to notice anything like that on my few remaining Windows installations. Is this happening in the US?

Re:

[thegarbz]

M$ is forcing Edge back into everything yet again. Where's the enforcement gone on that?

Gone? As in past enforcement? That past enforcement was limited to bundling and choice. Users in the EU still have that. Users in the USA are irrelevant since all terms of the anti-trust settlement have since expired meaning a new round of enforcement is required over there.

At the time there was no such thing as special links that always work on Edge regardless of defaults, so this level of forcing was neither foreseen nor addressed in the original requirements which only said users needed choice of browser

Re: "I hate AI"

[Tomahawk]

You don't have to use AI. But for those that do, it's good to have a choice.

A not-Google OS

[NotEmmanuelGoldstein]

This sounds like the Microsoft-only API that Windows had, decades ago. So, Google can easily predict how a government with serious anti-trust laws will treat Google's favouritism to its own products. Google is losing its Play Store monopoly, that's another warning for how this will end.

Google losing monopoly leverage is why it is locking-down Android OS: A tactic that didn't work in the 1980s/1990s. The question is, is Android like Windows, too big to abandon, or can a not-Google OS provide the same A

Do the same with Windows

[Anonymous Coward]

Edge, Outlook, File Explorer, Start Menu, Cortana, Recall, Windows Defender, there is a litany of software and services that get bundled with Windows and are irreplaceable. You can't set a new default file manager or AI assistant, you can't set your own UI shell, there are many parts they refuse to allow you to replace.