AI on Android could become more powerful; the order comes from the European Commission

The European Commission has formally requested Google to ensure that third-party AI services developed by third parties receive the same level of integration on Android currently reserved for Gemini.

This directive, based on the rigorous interoperability regulations outlined by the Digital Markets Act (DMA), requires the Mountain View company to adapt its mobile operating system by August 1, 2027, triggering an intense and complex debate between forced openness of digital markets and the necessary protection of user privacy.

The EU obliges Google to open Android to third-party AIs

The European Union has granted Google one year to implement a series of profound structural changes to the Android system, a deadline that precedes potential legal appeals by the multinational.

The regulatory provisions require that competitive algorithms can access 11 critical features of mobile devices. The new rules state that any alternative assistant must be callable via predefined voice commands, like a classic “hotword”, or by long-pressing physical or virtual buttons.

Furthermore, such services must be able to perform extensive background actions across multiple applications, accessing the general context and data from smartphone sensors. These concessions aim to allow each artificial intelligence to anticipate the user’s needs, fully leveraging the hardware resources and the locally processed models on the device.

Apple’s Prudence and Google’s Gamble

The approach chosen by Mountain View to address the Digital Markets Act differs radically from the one adopted by direct competitors. Apple has indeed suspended the release of its AI in Europe for iOS 27, preferring to seek a preliminary technical agreement with lawmakers.

Google, instead, acted in the opposite way: it immediately rolled out Gemini integration on devices across the Old Continent, ensuring full and rapid access for its users, before facing regulatory consequences at a later stage.

The clash between European institutions and the companies has also proven tense on other fronts. The European Commission has harshly criticized Apple, accusing it of seeking a complete exemption from interoperability rules after failing to develop technical solutions that meet the minimum required standards, rejecting the idea of a system-wide intermediary agent.

The Difficult Compromise on Data Security

The stringent EU requirements have drawn strong criticisms regarding the robustness of personal cybersecurity. Apple had previously argued that European rules force manufacturers to provide external systems with near-unlimited and completely autonomous access to devices.

This critical stance is now echoed in Google’s recent statements. The company has publicly warned that the EU directives risk severely compromising the fundamental safeguards for privacy and security for millions of European citizens.

While details of its legal strategy for the coming months have not yet been outlined, the Mountain View group has confirmed its intention to continue to sustain and promote a balanced approach, which can reconcile openness and market competitiveness with the necessary safeguarding of sensitive information.