The next time an Android user in the UK is asked to choose a search engine, ChatGPT could be one of the options. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) published enhanced proposals on Wednesday that would require Google to include AI assistants in Android and Chrome selection screens, provided they meet technical and security criteria.
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This move comes at a time when AI assistants, such as ChatGPT, have begun to play an increasingly important role in users' daily lives, offering not only answers to questions but also suggestions and solutions to more complex problems. AI assistants have the ability to process large amounts of data in real time, providing personalized answers based on each user's needs and preferences.
Under the CMA’s plan, Google would have to offer a choice of search services when users set up an Android phone or first open Chrome, and then remind them every year to choose their default. This change could significantly impact the search market, allowing new players, such as AI assistants, to gain greater visibility and compete with traditional search engines.
The content attribution requirement is another important element of the proposal. Any provider on these screens would also have to clearly attribute the publisher’s content so that users can go to the source and see where the results came from. This is critical to maintaining transparency and user trust, as well as protecting the rights of publishers.
Sarah Cardell, chief executive of the CMA, said: “We have listened carefully to feedback and are responding quickly to the rise of AI assistants, which people increasingly use as a search service but are not included in Google’s selection screens.” This statement highlights the need to adapt to new technological developments and recognise the growing importance of AI assistants in everyday life.
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The user choice rules are the last outstanding piece of the package proposed by the CMA in January, after Google was designated a strategic market in search in October 2025. It has already imposed publisher controls over AI features on June 3, and fair ranking and data portability requirements on June 17. These changes show a clear direction towards ensuring a fairer and more competitive market, where users have more choice and new players can enter and compete on a level playing field.
Comments on the new proposals are due by 9 October, with a final decision expected by the end of the year. In the previous consultation, the Professional Publishers Association argued they should be exempted, saying they operate outside existing licensing frameworks, and the Media Association warned of diverting traffic away from publishers.
The CMA says its revised plan reflects feedback from publishers, search providers and consumer groups. The attribution requirement is new and aims to enhance transparency and fairness in the search market. Google, for its part, has objected. In its response in March, it said presenting the selection screens every year would be annoying for users and suggested a permanent change to device settings instead.
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But the annual reminder continues. Google hopes to have a single toggle hidden away in the settings. Instead, it may get a question every year with more possible answers. The controversy highlights the challenges facing big tech companies as they try to adapt to new regulatory requirements and keep their users happy.
