Britain’s competition watchdog has proposed new rules to give users of Google’s Android and Chrome platforms greater choice over search services, including AI assistants such as ChatGPT and Perplexity.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said on Wednesday that Google should give users a choice of search providers when they first set up an Android phone or open Chrome, and prompt them each year to select their preferred default service.
Under the proposals, AI assistants that meet Google’s technical and security requirements would also be eligible to appear on the choice screens.
The CMA also proposed requiring search providers to properly attribute publishers’ content, enabling users to identify the sources of information and access the original material.
“The way people search for information online is changing,” CMA Chief Executive Sarah Cardell said.
She said the regulator had responded to the growing use of AI assistants as search services, noting that such tools were not currently included in Google’s choice screens.
The proposals are open for consultation until Oct. 9, with the CMA expected to make a final decision by the end of the year.
In June, the CMA ordered Google to provide greater transparency over how its search rankings work as part of new measures aimed at promoting competition in online search.
