Google Faces UK Plan to Open Android and Chrome Search to AI Rivals

The Competition and Markets Authority is proposing changes that would require Google to give users of its Android operating system and Chrome browser more opportunities to select their preferred search provider. The measures would also allow qualifying AI assistants to compete for placement alongside conventional search engines, according to Reuters.

The proposals reflect a shift in how consumers find information online as AI-powered services increasingly compete with established search engines.

Under the proposed rules, Google would have to present users with a selection of search services when they first activate an Android device or launch Chrome. Consumers would subsequently receive an annual prompt to reconsider their default provider.

AI assistants, including services such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Perplexity, could appear among those options if they satisfy applicable technical and security standards, Reuters reported.

The changes would expand the range of services available through Google’s search-selection screens, potentially giving AI companies another way to reach consumers who primarily access the internet through Android devices and Chrome.

The regulator is also seeking stronger protections for publishers whose material appears in search results. Providers included on the selection screens would be required to identify the origins of publisher content and make the underlying material accessible to users, according to the CMA’s proposals.

Read more: Google Adjusts Search Rankings in Europe Amid EU Scrutiny

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The requirements would address concerns about transparency as AI-generated answers become a more prominent part of online search.

Sarah Cardell, chief executive of the CMA, said the regulator had considered feedback from industry participants and was adapting its proposals to account for the growing use of AI assistants as alternatives to traditional search engines.

According to Reuters, Cardell said AI assistants are increasingly being used for search but are not currently included in Google’s selection screens. The latest proposals form part of a broader effort by British authorities to regulate Google’s position in the search market.

In June, the CMA imposed requirements aimed at making Google’s search rankings more transparent and ensuring fairer treatment of businesses that depend on search visibility. Those measures followed earlier regulatory work addressing competition in search and related digital services, Reuters reported.

The CMA has also introduced measures covering data portability and publishers’ control over how their content is used in Google’s search services, according to the regulator’s published case records.

The latest proposals remain subject to consultation and have not yet been adopted as binding requirements. Interested parties have until Oct. 9 to submit feedback. The CMA expects to reach a final decision before the end of 2026, according to Reuters.

The decision will determine whether Google’s UK users receive expanded search-selection options that include AI assistants, as regulators consider how competition rules should apply to a rapidly changing market for online information.

Source: Reuters