The Commission is reaching for different regulatory tools to open up AI assistance
The European Commission’s decision last week to force Google to allow AI rivals to operate on Android devices could be a make-or-break moment for Big Tech’s AI ambitions in Europe.
Last Thursday, the bloc used the Digital Markets Act (DMA) – a flagship law aimed at the market power of giants like Google, Apple and Meta since 2024 – to issue a legal order requiring the company to allow other AIs to operate on Google-certified Android phones. Currently, Gemini is pre-installed on these Android phones, giving it preferential access.
The EU’s interoperability order requires Google to allow rivals to plug into Android features deemed critical to proper integration. The step means AI tools such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Anthropic’s Claude, or even Mistral’s Vibe can expect a level playing field to attract users via Google’s mobile platform from next July.
The order is part of a broader effort by the bloc to intervene in fast-developing AI markets – in a bid to stop the usual tech giants from dominating another important domain.
