EU antitrust regulators outline access rules for Google search and Gemini AI

The European Commission said it will provide guidance to Alphabet-owned Google on how it should comply with the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), focusing on access for rival online search engines and artificial intelligence service providers.

The Commission has opened two specification proceedings to clarify how Google must allow third-party companies access to its search services, Android operating system, and AI-related features, including its Gemini models. The move follows discussions between EU regulators and Google on how the company plans to meet its obligations under the DMA.

According to the Commission, the proceedings are intended to ensure that third-party online search engines and AI developers receive access to Google’s services on terms equivalent to those available to Google’s own products, such as Google Search and Gemini. EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen said the process would define how equal access should be implemented in practice.

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In one proceeding, regulators will outline how Google should provide third-party AI service providers with equally effective access to the same features used by its own AI services. The second proceeding will focus on how Google should grant rival search engines access to anonymised data from Google Search, including ranking, query, click, and view data, under fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory terms. The eligibility of AI chatbot providers to access this data will also be addressed.

Google said it has already taken steps to comply with the DMA. Clare Kelly, Google’s Senior Competition Counsel, stated that Android is open by design and that the company is already licensing search data to competitors under the new rules. However, she added that Google is concerned additional requirements could affect user privacy, security, and innovation.

The DMA is designed to curb the market power of large technology companies designated as gatekeepers by imposing obligations aimed at increasing competition. Rivals have long argued that Google’s dominance in online search and mobile operating systems gives it an unfair advantage.

EU antitrust chief Teresa Ribera said the Commission’s objective is to ensure that emerging technologies develop in an open and competitive environment rather than being shaped primarily by the largest firms. She added that the aim is to prevent the market from being tilted in favour of a small number of dominant players.

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The Commission said it expects to conclude the proceedings within six months. Apple received similar guidance from EU regulators on opening parts of its ecosystem to competitors under the DMA two years ago.