Google is challenging two European Union rulings that seek to limit the company's advantages in the markets artificial intelligence and online search . The company filed the cases at the European Union's General Court in Luxembourg, challenging its obligations under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), Reuters reported.
The two European Commission decisions concern different aspects of Google's digital ecosystem. The first focuses on access by competing digital assistants to features on Android devices, while the second concerns the sharing of search data with other search engines and artificial intelligence services.
The controversy highlights a broader issue for the European digital market: how to boost competition and innovation without creating new risks to users' security and privacy
What does the Digital Markets Act provide?
The orders in question were issued in July by the European Commission and are part of the implementation of the DMA, the regulatory framework designed to limit practices that may hinder competition in digital markets.
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The legislation targets large technology platforms, known as “gatekeepers” due to their powerful position and role in connecting businesses with consumers. The aim is to facilitate the entry of competitors and limit the advantages that arise from controlling essential digital services.
These orders are not fines. Rather, they set out specific compliance obligationsthat Google is required to implement within specified time frames.
Android should support competing AI assistants
The first decision concerns how competing AI services can operate on Android devices. According to the Commission's forecasts, by August 2027 other digital assistants will have to gain access, similar to Gemini, to 11 phone features.
These capabilities include voice activation and in-app actions , which can determine how easily a user interacts with their digital assistant without having to open each app individually.
The requirement could change the way AI services are integrated into smartphones. Today, deeply integrating an assistant into the operating system can give it an advantage over competing apps that don't have the same access rights.
For consumers, the implementation of the measures could expand the available choices. At the same time, manufacturers and application creators may gain more opportunities to develop services that leverage artificial intelligence at the operating system level.
Access to search data from competitors
The second mandate concerns data generated when using Google's search engine. Starting in January 2027, the company will have to provide competing search engines, including artificial intelligence and chatbot services, with access to data about users' searches and clicks.
The disclosure should be made on fair terms and without including personal information. The rationale behind the measure is that usage data can help competing services improve the quality and relevance of their results.
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Access to such information can be particularly important for artificial intelligence-based search systems. Understanding queries, user choices, and the effectiveness of results can help improve their services .
However, leveraging this data requires careful planning, as even information that does not directly include names or other identifiers may, under certain circumstances, be linked to specific individuals.
Google's privacy objections
Google believes the two decisions go beyond what is necessary and could create risks to user security. Oliver Bethell, the company's senior competition officer, argued that the obligation to share search data could lead to the availability of histories that have not been sufficiently anonymized.
In the company's view, exposing sensitive queries could cause serious and irreversible privacy harm. Google also argues that the new obligations could affect Android's security.
The European Commission rejects these concerns, arguing that the decisions are designed to protect both users and competition. According to the regulator, the envisaged anonymization measures were shaped with the input of privacy experts.
Additionally, Google retains the ability to refuse to provide data to companies that pose a serious threat to security or privacy. How these safeguards will be implemented in practice is a major point of contention.
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DuckDuckGo's position and next steps
DuckDuckGo , which touts privacy as a core feature of its search engine, has come out in favor of the European Commission's approach. A spokesperson said the anonymization provisions are sound and that legal challenges could delay the implementation of the measures .
The outcome of the case will be important not only for Google, but also for other companies active in search, operating systems and artificial intelligence.
Under EU rules, lodging an appeal does not automatically suspend the application of decisions. Therefore, the deadlines of January and August 2027 still apply, unless there is a different court ruling.
The outcome of the legal battle will help shape the boundaries between competition, technological innovation and data protection in Europe. For users, the question is whether the new rules will offer more choice and better services, while maintaining essential guarantees for their security and privacy.
