The European Union has issued binding directives to Alphabet’s Google, requiring the company to open access to its Android operating system and search engine data to competing services. The European Commission announced the measures on Thursday, aiming to level the competitive landscape for artificial intelligence (AI) assistants on Android devices.

According to the commission, rival AI assistants currently face restrictions accessing key features of the Android platform, limiting their ability to compete effectively with Google’s own services. Under the new requirements, users must be able to activate alternative AI assistants through voice commands in the same manner they do with Google Assistant. These assistants should also be capable of performing tasks such as booking taxis and other common functions.

The EU emphasized that the mandates include robust safeguards to protect user privacy, device integrity, and security. Such protections are intended to address concerns about potential vulnerabilities that could arise from opening Android’s ecosystem to third-party AI tools.

In addition, Google has been instructed to share certain search data with competing search engines, including AI chatbots that incorporate search functionality. This move follows earlier findings communicated to Google by EU officials, signaling a sustained regulatory push to enhance competition in digital markets.

Kent Walker, Google’s president of global affairs, expressed concerns over the commission’s decisions, suggesting that the new rules could weaken important privacy and security protections for European users.

The formal binding instructions mark a significant step in the EU’s ongoing efforts to regulate large technology companies and promote greater interoperability and fairness in AI and digital services markets. Google is now expected to comply with these directives within specified timelines under the oversight of the European regulatory framework.