Britain’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) on Wednesday proposed new measures that would give users greater choice over the search services they use on Google Android phones and Chrome. The proposals would also allow AI assistants such as ChatGPT and Perplexity to appear on Google’s search choice screens, provided they meet the required technical and security criteria.
Under the proposed rules, Google would have to give Android users a choice of search services when they first set up their phones. Chrome users would also be presented with a choice when they open the browser for the first time. Users would then be prompted once every year to select their preferred default search provider.
The CMA said the proposals are intended to reflect changes in how people search for information online, particularly as AI assistants become increasingly used for search-related activities.
“The way people search for information online is changing,” said Sarah Cardell, Chief Executive of the CMA. “We’ve listened carefully to feedback and are responding quickly to the rise of AI assistants, which people are increasingly using as their search service, but aren’t included on Google’s choice screens.”
The proposed changes would apply to AI assistants that satisfy the relevant technical and security requirements. This would allow services such as ChatGPT and Perplexity to potentially be included alongside traditional search providers on the choice screens.
The CMA has also proposed requirements covering how search providers attribute content from publishers. Providers appearing on the choice screens would have to fairly attribute publisher content so that users can access the original material and understand where their search results came from.
The proposals are part of the CMA’s wider work around competition in online search. In June, the UK regulator ordered Google to provide greater transparency around how its search rankings work under new rules aimed at strengthening competition in the search market.
Google already operates a search choice screen for eligible users in certain markets. Its Android choice-screen system was introduced following the European Commission’s 2018 Android decision and has been available to new Android devices in the UK and European Economic Area. The existing system allows users to select an eligible general search provider during device setup.
The latest CMA proposals would broaden the scope of this choice by allowing qualifying AI assistants to be included as search services. This reflects the changing role of AI assistants, which are increasingly being used to find and retrieve information rather than only for conversational tasks.
The CMA has opened the proposals for consultation until October 9. The regulator is expected to make a final decision by the end of the year. Until then, the measures remain proposals and are subject to consultation and further consideration.
The proposed framework would therefore give UK Android and Chrome users more opportunities to select their preferred search service, while creating a pathway for AI assistants to be included if they meet the required conditions.
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