Apple has expressed support for Google’s criticism of the European Union’s proposals aimed at providing third-party AI services equal access to the Android operating system. The European Commission is enforcing compliance with the Digital Markets Act (DMA) and mandated in January that Google grant external AI assistants the same access that its own AI, Gemini, currently enjoys.
The Commission further requires Google to share “anonymized ranking, query, click and view data” from Google Search with competing search engines, stating this is necessary for fostering fair competition and innovation in the AI landscape on mobile devices. Draft rules released by the Commission in April outline these requirements for Google’s compliance with the AI-related regulations.
Google’s legal counsel has argued that the proposed measures could undermine critical privacy and security for European users and increase operational costs. Apple aligned with these concerns in its feedback to the Commission, stating that full access for competing AI services could jeopardize user privacy as it would allow third-party AI to interact with sensitive applications, including email services, food ordering, and photo sharing.
In its response, Apple highlighted that the draft measures could pose “profound risks for user privacy, security, and safety,” additionally affecting device performance. The company pointed out the unpredictability of evolving AI systems as a significant risk factor. Apple criticized the Commission’s expedited process, implying that discussions on the measures did not adequately consider the technical implications, saying, “the EC… is substituting judgments made by Google’s engineers for its own judgment based on less than three months of work.”
Apple acknowledged its strong interest in the DMA case since it is also under scrutiny by the Commission. The company has historically opposed the DMA, which obliges it to allow third-party app marketplaces on its operating system, previously requesting the repeal of the Act. In January, Apple accused the EU of employing “political delay tactics” in its investigations and fines following the closure of an alternative app store.
