The Great Unbundling: How the EU Is Forcing Google to Open Its Walled Gardens

The European Commission has announced new Digital Markets Act measures that will force Google to support interoperability and competition in the European Union. The new “specification measures” cover two elements of Google’s business: Android phones and search. Both changes could theoretically increase competition and give users more choices, but Google claims they will undermine privacy and security. As a “gatekeeper” under the DMA, Google has no choice but to comply. These decisions are legally binding.

The Android Mandate: Opening the AI Playground

On Android, Google will have to open up access to competing AI platforms. Currently, Google’s Gemini gets preferential access to the system. Gemini is preloaded on all Google certified Android phones and can wake up in response to the “Hey Google” hot word. Google’s AI also includes system and app automation features, screen content access, and more.

The Commission argues that third party AI assistants are therefore limited in how they can offer their innovative services, making them less attractive to 60% of EU users who have an Android device. Whether mobile AI is truly innovative is up for debate, but according to EU regulators, users should be able to install an AI system of their choice without losing features. The Commission says these measures have been designed to preserve user privacy and device integrity.

However, generative AI feeds on data, and deploying any such assistant on your phone means inviting your chosen model to access your personal information. Google is at least the devil you know. The question is whether opening up the platform will lead to genuine innovation or simply create new avenues for data extraction by less scrupulous actors.

The Search Mandate: Democratizing Data

The EU’s mandates for Google Search could have more wide ranging implications. Google will be forced to share search data with competing search providers, giving them a better chance of gaining market share and loosening Google’s iron grip on web search. The Commission alleges this action was necessary because Google’s past sharing offers have not gone far enough.

Under the new rules, Google will have to provide data to other search firms transparently and for a reasonable fee. Google will also have to treat AI chatbots as search services for the purposes of data sharing. The goal is for other companies to get access to search metrics similar to what Google itself sees, which EU regulators claim is essential for a smaller player to challenge Google’s dominance.

This is a significant intervention. Search data is the lifeblood of the modern internet. It reveals what people are looking for, how they phrase their queries, and what results they find relevant. Google has built its dominance on this data, and sharing it could potentially level the playing field. But it also raises profound questions about privacy and the value of data. If data is the new oil, the EU is effectively forcing a pipeline to be opened to competitors.

Google’s Objections: Privacy, Security, and Sovereignty

Google was vocally opposed to the EU’s new rules before they were finalized, and the company is not mincing words now that they are final. Kent Walker, Google’s president of global affairs, claims Google offered more measured solutions that it believed could satisfy the DMA’s goals, but the path chosen by the European Commission goes too far and will harm users.

Walker objects to the Commission’s position that AI assistants need greater access to Android. He claims that AI tools are widely supported, with phone makers playing a key role in vetting them. Granting non Gemini AI platforms deeper integration with Android could circumvent safeguards.

Similarly, Google contends that sharing search data as the EU now demands will risk user privacy. The DMA action calls on Google to anonymize data using a multilayered approach, and the Commission is open to amending its decision to ensure identifiable data is appropriately handled. Google acknowledges that regulators are open to adjusting the rules, but Walker still characterizes this ruling as a threat to privacy, business trade secrets, and even national security.

These are not trivial concerns. The more data is shared, the greater the risk of it being misused or falling into the wrong hands. The more open the platform, the greater the attack surface for malicious actors. Google’s arguments about security have merit, even if they are also self serving. The challenge for regulators is to balance the benefits of competition against the risks of opening up systems that were designed to be closed.

The Implementation Timeline

Google will have some time to hash out the specifics with EU regulators. The company must be ready to start sharing search data with other companies in January 2027. The Android platform must be updated for deeper integration with AI apps by July 2027.

These timelines are significant. They give Google time to adjust, but they also give competitors time to prepare. The next two years will be a period of negotiation and adaptation. The final outcome will depend on how the rules are implemented and enforced.

The Broader Implications

This is not an isolated action. It is part of a broader pattern of European regulation that is reshaping the global tech landscape. The DMA has already been used to force Apple to open up its App Store and to fine Meta for its advertising practices. The EU is positioning itself as the world’s tech regulator, setting standards that other countries may eventually adopt.

The Google case is particularly significant because it targets the core of the company’s business. Search is Google’s foundation. Android is its platform. Forcing the company to share its data and open its platform is a fundamental challenge to its business model.

The question is whether this intervention will achieve its stated goals. Will opening up Android lead to more innovation and choice? Will sharing search data lead to more competition? Or will it simply create new opportunities for companies to exploit data while undermining the security and privacy that users have come to expect?

Summary

The European Commission has used the Digital Markets Act to force Google to open up its Android platform to competing AI assistants and to share its search data with rivals. Google strongly objects, arguing that these measures will undermine privacy, security, and innovation. The company will have until 2027 to comply. These actions represent a significant intervention in the tech industry, targeting the core of Google’s business model and raising profound questions about the balance between competition, privacy, and security. The outcome will have lasting implications for the global tech landscape and the future of digital regulation.

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