EU Forces Google to Share Search Data with AI Rivals: What UK Businesses Need to Know

The European Commission today opened two formal proceedings requiring Google to share its search data with rival search engines and AI chatbot providers, and to give competing AI services the same access to Android features that Google's own Gemini enjoys. The Digital Markets Act specification proceedings, announced on 27 January 2026, give Google six months to comply and could reshape entirely how businesses are discovered online.

According to the European Commission's official announcement, the proceedings target two specific DMA obligations: search data sharing under Article 6(11) and Android AI interoperability under Article 6(7). Preliminary findings are expected within three months, with final measures due by July 2026.

For UK businesses that depend on Google for visibility, this is a watershed moment. The EU has officially recognised AI chatbots as search engine competitors entitled to the same data Google uses internally. More AI tools with better data means more places your business needs to be visible, and the window to prepare is narrowing.

What the EU Is Demanding

The Commission's proceedings address two distinct requirements:

Search Data Sharing (Article 6(11))

Google must grant third-party online search engine providers access to anonymised ranking, query, click and view data from Google Search on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory (FRAND) terms. The proceedings will specify the scope of data, anonymisation methods, access conditions, and, critically, whether AI chatbot providers qualify for access.

This last point is the most significant. If AI chatbots are granted the same data access as traditional search engines, tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity and others could build dramatically better search capabilities using Google's own intelligence.

Android AI Interoperability (Article 6(7))

Google must give third-party AI services the same access to Android hardware and software features that its own Gemini AI enjoys. Currently, Gemini benefits from deep system-level integration on Android devices, including access to on-device processing, system APIs and seamless activation that competitors cannot match. The Commission intends to level this playing field.

Why AI Chatbot Data Access Changes Everything

The Commission's decision to consider whether AI chatbot providers should access Google's search data is a first. Until now, the search data sharing obligation was understood to apply to traditional search engines like DuckDuckGo and Bing. Extending it to AI chatbots would mean the likes of OpenAI, Anthropic and Perplexity could feed Google's own ranking intelligence into their conversational AI products.

As WebProNews reported, this could accelerate the shift from traditional search to AI-powered discovery that is already reshaping how consumers find businesses.

"We want to maximise the potential and the benefits of this profound technological shift by making sure the playing field is open and fair, not tilted in favour of the largest few."

- Teresa Ribera, EU Antitrust Chief, European Commission statement

This statement carries considerable weight. Ribera is explicitly framing the proceedings as necessary to prevent Google from using its data dominance to lock out AI competitors. In practical terms, this means the EU sees AI chatbots not as a novelty but as the next generation of search infrastructure, and believes they deserve the same data access as established search engines.

In my experience building AI visibility strategies for UK businesses, this development accelerates a trend we have been tracking closely. Businesses that only optimise for Google Search are already losing ground to those visible across AI platforms. If those AI platforms gain access to Google-quality search data, the shift will only intensify.

Google Pushes Back

Google disputes the need for further regulation. Clare Kelly, Google's Senior Competition Counsel for Europe, stated: "Android is open by design, and we're already licensing Search data to competitors under the DMA." She added that Google is "concerned that further rules which are often driven by competitor grievances rather than the interest of consumers, will compromise user privacy, security and innovation."

Google's privacy argument is not without merit. Sharing anonymised search data at scale raises legitimate questions about re-identification risks and user trust. However, the Commission's proceedings specifically address anonymisation methods, suggesting regulators are aware of these concerns and intend to set clear technical standards.

"Our goal is to keep the AI market open, unlock competition on the merits and promote innovation, to the benefit of consumers and businesses."

- Henna Virkkunen, EU Tech Chief, European Commission statement

The tension is real: Google controls roughly 90% of the European search market, and its data advantage is arguably its most powerful competitive moat. Forcing it to share that data with AI competitors could erode the very advantage that makes Google Search dominant, which is precisely what the DMA is designed to achieve.

What This Means for UK Businesses

The UK is not in the EU, but the effects of these proceedings will be felt by every business that depends on Google. Here is why:

1. More AI Search Competitors With Better Data

If AI chatbots gain access to Google's search data, expect rapid improvement in how accurately they recommend businesses. Tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity and emerging European alternatives will become more reliable for finding local services, comparing products and recommending providers. This makes AI visibility more important than ever.

2. Google's Compliance Will Affect Global Products

Google rarely builds separate versions of its products for different markets. Changes made to comply with the DMA typically roll out globally or at minimum affect how the platform operates for European users, which includes UK consumers using Google services.

3. The UK Is Pursuing Parallel Regulation

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is investigating Google under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act (DMCCA). The CMA plans to consider Google's treatment of rival search firms and publishers in the first half of 2026. While the UK framework differs from the DMA, the direction of travel is the same.

4. Diversification Is No Longer Optional

Businesses that rely solely on Google Search for online visibility face growing risk. The Reuters Institute's January 2026 report found that publishers expect search traffic to decline 43% over the next three years. The same dynamic applies to businesses: as users shift to AI-powered search, your presence across multiple platforms becomes essential.

The Enforcement Timeline

EU DMA Specification Proceedings Timeline

Date	Event
27 January 2026	Commission opens specification proceedings
April 2026 (estimated)	Preliminary findings communicated to Google
July 2026 (deadline)	Final specification measures imposed
August 2026	EU AI Act becomes fully enforceable

Non-compliance with DMA obligations can trigger penalties of up to 10% of global turnover, or 20% for repeat offences, plus structural remedies. For Google's parent company Alphabet, with $307 billion in 2024 revenue, that represents a potential fine of over $30 billion.

Broader Context: A Pivotal Year for Search

Today's proceedings do not exist in isolation. Google is already facing:

• EU preliminary non-compliance findings on self-preferencing in search results and app steering in Google Play
• A US antitrust ruling that Google holds an illegal monopoly in search, with remedies under consideration
• UK CMA investigation under the DMCCA, targeting Google's treatment of rival search firms
• EU AI Act enforcement beginning in August 2026, which will add another layer of compliance requirements

The cumulative effect is a regulatory environment that is forcing open the search and AI markets. For businesses, this means the comfortable era of optimising for one platform is ending. The businesses that thrive will be those visible across the emerging multi-platform search market. Investing in professional SEO that accounts for both traditional and AI-powered search is the foundation of that visibility.

We have been tracking Google's AI evolution closely, and this regulatory pressure adds urgency to the shift. When we analyse client visibility using our AI Visibility Checker, we consistently find that businesses visible to AI systems are better positioned for this transition than those relying solely on traditional SEO.

What to Watch

Several developments over the coming months will determine how much these proceedings affect UK businesses:

• AI chatbot eligibility ruling (April 2026): The Commission's preliminary findings will reveal whether AI chatbots qualify for Google's search data. This is the single most consequential decision.
• UK CMA action: The CMA has already moved. On 28 January it proposed conduct requirements that would let publishers opt out of AI Overviews without losing search visibility. Whether the CMA pursues additional data-sharing requirements under the DMCCA will determine whether UK businesses face a directly regulated market.
• Google's compliance strategy: Google could comply minimally (sharing limited data) or proactively (opening up substantially to reduce regulatory risk). Its approach will shape the competitive picture.
• AI platform improvements: Watch for quality improvements in AI search tools. If ChatGPT or Perplexity suddenly become noticeably better at finding local UK businesses, data sharing may already be having an effect.

How to Prepare Your Business

Regardless of the proceedings' outcome, the direction is clear: AI-powered search is growing, Google's data monopoly is under pressure, and businesses need to be discoverable across multiple platforms. Here is what to do now:

1. Check your AI visibility. Use our AI Visibility Checker to see how AI systems currently perceive your business. If they do not know you exist, that is a problem regardless of regulation.
2. Implement AI discovery files. Files like llms.txt, ai.json and identity.json help AI systems understand your business accurately. Our guide to AI discovery files explains what to include. Google is already testing llms.txt for Discover and AI Mode, making early adoption a strategic advantage.
3. Strengthen your structured data. Schema.org markup helps both traditional search engines and AI systems understand your services, location and expertise.
4. Build authority across platforms. Ensure your business is accurately represented on Google Business Profile, Bing Places, Apple Maps, and industry-specific directories. AI systems draw from all of these sources.
5. Create original, experience-driven content. Google's January 2026 "Authenticity Update" already rewards first-hand experience. AI systems value the same signals. Content that demonstrates real expertise will perform across all platforms.

Frequently Asked Questions