DMA: EU Commission Asks Google to Open Android to Competing AI Services

The European Commission has sent its preliminary conclusions to Google regarding the procedures initiated on January 27, 2026, under the Digital Markets Act (DMA). This initiative is part of the regulation of so-called digital "gatekeepers," aimed at ensuring more open and contestable markets.

At the center of the discussion is the Android ecosystem, particularly access to key features by competing third-party artificial intelligence services. According to Brussels, the current implementation tends to favor solutions developed by Google itself, effectively limiting full interoperability with competing alternatives.

The proposed measures aim to allow competing AI services to interact more deeply with applications and system functions. Among the cited examples are operations like sending emails through default apps, sharing content, or performing contextual actions within the device.

A significant aspect also concerns the activation of AI assistants: the Commission suggests the possibility for users to set custom voice commands (wake words) to call alternative services, overcoming any current limitations.

This opening would allow developers to create more integrated AI experiences, complementing Google's proprietary solutions like Gemini with competing offerings, thereby expanding choice for European users.

To assess the effectiveness of the proposed measures, the Commission has launched a public consultation open until May 13, 2026. The contributions collected may influence the final definition of the obligations, which must occur within six months of the start of the procedures.

The adoption of the definitive measures does not preclude further actions: Brussels retains the option to initiate formal proceedings in case of non-compliance with the obligations set forth by the DMA.

The Digital Markets Act represents one of the pillars of the European strategy for regulating large digital platforms. In September 2023, the Commission designated several Alphabet services as "core platform services," including Android, Google Search, Chrome, YouTube, and Google Play.

From March 2024, the company is required to fully comply with the obligations set forth by the regulation, which includes stringent requirements on interoperability, data access, and anticompetitive practices.