The European Commission has provided Google with proposals for how it should help competing services to access core Android features in a manner similar to Google’s own Gemini AI tool, as it seeks to bring the search giant into line with Digital Markets Act competition rules.

The move came three months after the Commission opened a specification proceeding for Android, under which it lays out specific measures companies should take for DMA compliance.

Commission competition chief Teresa Ribera said the instructions were designed to improve users’ choice of AI features on Android phones, whose core software is controlled by Google.

“Today’s proposed measures will give more choice to Android users about the AI services they use and integrate in their phone, including from the vast range of AI services that compete with Google’s own AI,” Ribera stated.

Google said Android is already set up in an open way to enable AI assistants to operate and which gives device makers full autonomy to customise their AI services.

The Commission’s “unwarranted” intervention could remove autonomy and drive up costs while “undermining critical privacy and security protections for European users”, said Google’s senior competition counsel Clare Kelly.

Google has incurred nearly €9.5 billion (£8.2bn) in fines from the EU over the years, for abuses involving search and other services.

Apple is also involved in specification proceedings with the EU around its iPhone platform.