In January, the European Commission began a preliminary investigation, known as a specification procedure, into how Google implements artificial intelligence in its Android operating system. The results are in, and the EU says Android needs to be more open, which isn’t surprising. Meanwhile, Google says this amounts to “unwarranted interference,” which is equally unsurprising. Regardless of Google’s characterization of the investigation, the committee could force Google to make changes to its Android AI system this summer.
The measure stems from the continent’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), a comprehensive law that classifies seven dominant technology companies as “gatekeepers” that are subject to further regulation to ensure fair competition. Google has consistently spoken out against regulations imposed under the DMA, but it and other gatekeepers have been subject to the law for several years now, and there is little chance of a rollback.
The issue currently before the committee is the built-in feature of Gemini on Android. When you turn on any Google-powered Android phone, the Gemini is already there and getting special system-wide treatment. The European Commission takes aim at the lack of features available to third-party AI services. The panel believes there are too many experiments on Android that only work with Google’s Gemini AI, and as a gatekeeper, Google must change that.
“As we navigate the rapidly evolving AI landscape, it is clear that interoperability is key to unlocking the full potential of these technologies,” Heina Virkonen, Commission Vice-President for Technology Sovereignty, said in a statement. “These measures will open up Android devices to a wider range of AI services, so users will have the freedom to choose the AI services that best meet their needs and values, without sacrificing functionality.”
