EU forces Google to let AI assistants use Android features
Big news for tech fans: the EU is making Google let other AI assistants use important Android features and share anonymized search data with approved companies.
It's all about giving users more options and shaking up the competition, thanks to the Digital Markets Act.
These changes will roll out in several stages during 2027 and 2028.
Android 18 rollout and data sharing
Third-party AI assistants will soon get access to 11 Android features: think live translation, app automation, and smarter interactions.
Most updates arrive with Android 18 by August 1, 2027. A few will follow in 2028.
Google also has to share anonymized ranking, query, click, and view data with eligible providers (including AI chatbots), but strict security checks are required.
Google's worried about privacy risks, but the EU says there are solid safeguards in place.