The European Commission has mandated that Google must extend equal access to rival AI assistants within its Android ecosystem, ensuring they can utilize the same functionalities as its own Gemini assistant. This includes access to the camera, microphone, and on-screen content, as well as the ability to activate with a wake word even when the display is off. Additionally, these assistants will be able to operate in the background, mimicking user interactions such as taps and typing. Google is required to implement these changes in the upcoming Android 18 release, with a deadline set for August 1, 2027.
This directive is part of two binding specifications established under the Digital Markets Act, following a six-month investigation initiated on January 27. The second specification compels Google to provide anonymized search query, click, and ranking data to competing search engines and AI chatbots, available for a fee based on costs. Importantly, neither of these measures involves financial penalties.
Five features gated, six not
The Android decision encompasses 11 operating system features, five of which are classified as restricted, requiring certification before third-party applications can access them:
- Centralized access to on-device data shared by apps, currently known as AppSearch.
- Context-aware intelligence, which powers proactive suggestions like Magic Cue.
- Structured on-device integration, encompassing App Actions and App Functions.
- Screen automation, referred to as Computer Control in Android.
- System integration, which includes settings, media, notifications, and power management.
These restricted features are particularly significant as they allow certified assistants to interact with Google’s own applications, enabling functionalities such as managing Gmail, creating Calendar events, and controlling YouTube playback.
Conversely, the remaining six features do not require certification, allowing broader access to:
- Ambient data, including microphone input and location tracking.
- Always-on hotword detection.
- Long-press invocation.
- System-level on-device models.
- Third-party model implementation.
- Background execution capabilities.
This means that third-party applications can utilize these features without facing restrictions from Google, provided they adhere to user consent protocols.
The programme Google has to write
To facilitate access to the gated features, Google is tasked with establishing a Qualified AI Assistant Programme. This initiative will allow third-party Trusted Certification Authorities to certify assistants at no cost, and Google must accept these certifications without imposing additional conditions. The company retains the authority to determine the terms of the certification program and must notify the Commission of any changes two months in advance.
Google is also required to ensure that the certification process is fair and non-discriminatory. The measures outline that Google can only revoke a certification authority’s status under specific circumstances, while the certification itself remains intact. The criteria for certification include ensuring that assistants reconfirm user intent for sensitive actions and minimize data exposure.
Moreover, users will have the option to consent to bypass the certification requirement for specific services and devices, ensuring flexibility in how these features are utilized.
If you ship an Android app
By August 2027, both certified and user-approved uncertified assistants will be able to interact with applications on a virtual display, reading screens and executing commands while the user engages in other activities. Developers should prepare for this functionality, which includes options to block sensitive views from being accessed by controlling apps.
Google may also choose to implement additional features that restrict automation on specific parts of applications or keep app contexts separate from proactive suggestion components, although these are not mandated by the new regulations.
The search dataset
The Commission has outlined a detailed method for anonymizing search data, which involves multiple layers of protection to ensure user privacy. This includes removing direct identifiers and generalizing metadata to ensure that individual users cannot be identified. The data will only be accessible to recipients who meet specific criteria, including having a substantial user base and not being subject to significant cybersecurity risks.
Google must also ensure that the data shared is at least seven days old and will cease sharing after five years for each recipient. The company retains the right to assess potential risks associated with any recipient before data is shared.
Google’s objection
In response to the Commission’s decisions, Kent Walker, Google’s president of global affairs, expressed concerns regarding the potential security implications of granting external apps access to sensitive device permissions. He argued that the current vetting process for assistants by phone manufacturers serves as a critical safeguard that could be undermined by these new regulations.
Walker also criticized the anonymization methods for search data, claiming they do not adequately protect user privacy and could jeopardize trade secrets and national security. He referenced a recent report from the EU’s cybersecurity agency, ENISA, emphasizing the importance of robust security measures in the rapidly evolving landscape of AI.
What the April draft said
The final measures reflect a significant evolution from earlier drafts, which lacked many of the restrictions now imposed on Google. Initial proposals did not include a Qualified AI Assistant Programme or certification authorities, and the final measures have introduced more stringent requirements regarding data sharing and certification processes.
As Google prepares to implement these changes, the focus will shift to the upcoming deadlines for drafting and finalizing the terms of the certification program, with significant implications for how third-party assistants will interact with the Android ecosystem moving forward.
