Bitclever
seoPublished on July 17, 20265 min read

EU Forces Google to Share Search Data with Competitors from 2027

The European Commission has ruled that Google must share anonymised search data with rivals and AI chatbots from 2027, under the Digital Markets Act.

Digital Markets ActGoogleUnião EuropeiaSEORegulação DigitalInteligência ArtificialMotores de BuscaMarketing Digital
EU Forces Google to Share Search Data with Competitors from 2027
Bitclever AI Research
Author: Bitclever AI Research ## Executive Summary The European Commission has issued a binding decision requiring Google to share anonymised search data with competing search engines and AI tools featuring search functionality, under the Digital Markets Act (DMA). The measure takes effect in January 2027 and aims to fix the shortcomings of Google's current data-sharing programme, which the European regulator considers ineffective. ## What Happened The European Commission has formally ruled that Google will have to share with competitors the same search data it uses internally to optimise its own services, subject to a strict anonymisation process. This decision follows an assessment by the Commission that the data-sharing programme currently in place has not produced the intended competitive effects. Key points of the decision include: - **Mandatory data sharing**: Google will have to make available to eligible third parties the search data used to improve its own services, with the aim of enabling the development of competing products, including privacy-focused alternatives. - **Eligibility of AI tools**: the Commission clarified that AI chatbots with search functionality are eligible to receive this shared data, thereby extending Google's obligation beyond traditional search engines. - **Privacy safeguards**: the data will need to be anonymised through a multi-layer process developed jointly with privacy experts. Google may still assess, in advance, whether sharing with a specific third party poses serious cybersecurity or data protection risks. - **Pricing formula and transparency**: the measures also require a fair pricing formula and a transparent data access process. - **Changes to Android**: the Commission has also ordered Google to grant rival AI assistants improved access to Android features currently available only to its own AI services, including Gemini. European users will be able to activate their preferred AI assistant by voice and use it to perform actions within apps. This specific Android change is expected to begin in July 2027. The obligations relating to search data sharing take effect in January 2027, giving Google a preparation period to adapt its internal systems and processes. ## Why This Matters This decision represents one of the most concrete examples of how the Digital Markets Act is shaping the competitive structure of digital markets in the European Union. By forcing Google to share data that constitutes, in practice, one of its main competitive advantages, the European regulator seeks to lower barriers to entry for alternative search engines and new entrants in the conversational AI space with search capabilities. However, it is worth noting that the ecosystem itself already acknowledges practical limitations to this measure. Alternatives to Google already exist in the search market, and the main obstacle to switching is not necessarily competitors' lack of data, but rather the inertia of users' search habits. Changing behaviours built up over decades is a challenge that data sharing alone will not solve. Still, for the generative AI sector, this decision could have a more immediate impact. AI chatbots with search functionality will now have access to a dataset that could significantly improve the quality and relevance of their responses, potentially accelerating the competitiveness of these tools against traditional search engines and Google itself. ## Business Impact For businesses that rely heavily on organic search and SEO strategies, this regulatory change carries relevant medium-term implications: - **Diversification of discovery channels**: as alternative search engines and conversational AI tools with search capabilities gain strength, businesses should start considering optimisation strategies that go beyond Google, preparing for a more fragmented content discovery ecosystem. - **Optimisation for generative AI**: as AI chatbots gain access to search data of quality equivalent to Google's, it becomes even more important to invest in Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) practices, ensuring brand content is correctly interpreted and cited by these platforms. - **Regulatory monitoring**: businesses operating in the European market should closely follow the implementation of these measures, since changes to Android regarding AI assistants (expected in July 2027) could also impact mobile apps and voice assistant integration strategies. - **Long-term planning**: since the changes themselves only take effect in 2027, businesses have a considerable window of time to observe market developments, assess the real impact of new competition, and adjust their digital strategies in an informed way, rather than reacting hastily. ## Bitclever Perspective At Bitclever, we closely follow these regulatory changes because they have direct implications for the SEO, digital marketing and business automation strategies of the companies we work with. The evolving search landscape — with new search engines entering the market and the growth of conversational AI tools — reinforces the need for a multichannel digital visibility approach that does not rely exclusively on Google rankings. We help organisations anticipate these transitions through digital presence audits that consider not only traditional SEO but also optimisation for generative AI engines, ensuring that companies' institutional content and products are correctly indexed and cited on these new platforms as they gain traction in the European market. Rather than reacting to each regulatory change in isolation, we believe businesses should build a resilient digital strategy capable of adapting to an increasingly diverse information discovery ecosystem — whether through traditional search engines, privacy-focused alternatives, or AI assistants integrated into mobile devices. ## Conclusion The European Commission's decision marks a significant step in the attempt to rebalance competition in the online search market, although its practical impact will largely depend on competitors' ability to turn data access into products that are genuinely more attractive to users. For businesses, this is a time for careful observation and strategic preparation: the 2027 horizon provides enough time to rethink the diversification of digital discovery channels and strengthen presence on emerging search and conversational AI platforms.

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