Apple has expressed support for Google’s criticism of the European Union’s proposals that would grant third-party artificial intelligence (AI) services equal access to the Android operating system. The European Commission is enforcing compliance with the Digital Markets Act (DMA), requiring Google to extend the same access to external AI assistants that its own technology, Gemini, enjoys.
The Commission’s mandate also includes the requirement for Google to share anonymized user data with rival search engines, specifically ranking, query, click, and view data. The Commission stated that these measures aim to foster competition and spur innovation in the rapidly evolving AI market for smart mobile devices.
In April, the European Commission released draft rules outlining the requirements for Google to meet its AI compliance. However, Google’s legal team argued that the measures could compromise privacy and security for European users while also increasing operational costs. Apple’s comments corroborate Google’s stance, emphasizing concerns that unrestricted access for competing AI services could jeopardize user privacy, especially in sensitive applications such as email and food ordering.
Apple’s response to the draft rules raised “urgent and serious concerns” regarding user privacy, security, and device performance. The company noted that the risks associated with opening up access to evolving AI systems, which exhibit unpredictable behaviors, could be significant. “The DMs (draft measures) raise urgent and serious concerns. If confirmed, they would create profound risks for user privacy, security, and safety as well as device integrity and performance,” Apple reportedly stated.
Apple criticized the European Commission for developing the draft rules based on a review period of less than three months. “The EC… is substituting judgments made by Google’s engineers for its own judgment based on less than three months of work,” Apple remarked, insinuating that the brief timeframe for assessment posed dangers to user trust. The company has indicated a vested interest in the case, as it is also under investigation by the Commission.
Apple has opposing views regarding the DMA, which mandates that it allows third-party app marketplaces on its operating system. The company has previously called for the repeal of the DMA and in January accused the European Union of employing political tactics to delay and penalize it following the closure of an alternative app store.
