Google takes EU to court over data access for search engine and AI competitors
It’s being asked to share its success with competitors, but Google isn’t having it.
Google logo superimposed on the EU flag. Image by Samuel Boivin via Shutterstock
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- Google is challenging an EU order to share search data with rival search engines and AI companies.
- Google warns the demand risks user privacy, while the EU says anonymization safeguards protect users.
- If upheld, data sharing starts by January 2027, with Android changes expected by July 2027.
Key Takeaways by nexos.ai, reviewed by Cybernews staff.
Google is challenging the European Commission’s demand to share its search engine data with competing search engine providers and AI companies.
In July 2026, the European Commission ordered Google to give search engine rivals and competing AI companies, such as OpenAI, access to its services, including information on rankings, entered search queries, click-through rates, and how often answers are viewed.
Competing search engine providers and AI chatbots can use this information to optimize their services to compete more effectively with Google Search.
This action was taken under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which requires "gatekeepers" like Google to offer interoperability. The DMA aims to prevent monopolistic business practices by major tech companies and promote a more competitive, level-playing-field environment.
Opening up its services to competitors would mean that users can activate a rival AI assistant via voice commands, for example, to book a taxi or search for information.
Google has argued that sharing search data may violate European privacy laws and poses significant risks to the privacy of millions of European users.
But according to the European Commission, the measure contains robust safeguards to protect users’ privacy, including anonymization of user data, and opens up competition.
Google strongly opposes the Commission’s point of view regarding the scope of the DMA and has filed a challenge to the European Court of Justice’s (CJEU) General Court, Europe’s second-highest court.
The tech company has also applied for an interim measure at the Luxembourg-based court because Google feels that the European Commission’s order to share search engine data with rivals poses a risk of serious harm.
If upheld, Google would be required to start sharing its search data with eligible search engine providers by January 2027, with changes to its Android services expected to benefit users by July 2027.
