Apple backs Google against EU plan to open Android to AI rivals, citing privacy risks

Apple Sides with Google Against EU Regulatory Efforts

Apple has publicly backed Google in opposing European Union proposals that would require the search giant to open up Android to competing AI services, marking a rare alliance between the two tech rivals. In a submission to the European Commission, Apple echoed Google's concerns that the EU measures for AI rivals pose serious threats to user privacy and security 1

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. The controversy centers on draft measures designed to help Google's compliance with DMA requirements, which would allow third-party AI services to interact with Android apps to send emails, order food, or share photos 2

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Digital Markets Act Creates Unprecedented Platform Requirements

The European Commission initiated these regulatory efforts in January, telling Google it must give external AI assistants the same level of access to Android that Gemini AI enjoys. The aim, according to the commission, was to give third-party providers "an equal opportunity to innovate and compete in the rapidly evolving AI landscape on smart mobile devices" 2

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. Teresa Ribera, the European Commission's executive vice president for clean, just and competitive transition, stated that "artificial intelligence tools are transforming the way we seek and receive online information on our smartphones," emphasizing the need to ensure "the playing field is open and fair, not tilted in favour of the largest few" 5

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Tech Giants Warn of Profound Privacy and Security Risks

In its submission, Apple stated that the draft measures "raise urgent and serious concerns" and "would create profound risks for user privacy, security, and safety as well as device integrity and performance" 3

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. The company emphasized that these risks are particularly acute given the unpredictable nature of AI technology. "Those risks are especially acute in the context of rapidly evolving AI systems whose capabilities, behaviours, and threat vectors remain unpredictable as we are now seeing time and again," Apple argued 1

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. Apple noted it has a strong interest in the case given its own operating systems for iPhones, iPads, and Mac computers, highlighting the broader implications for how platforms must handle third-party AI access 1

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Apple Questions European Union's Technical Expertise

Beyond privacy concerns, Apple challenged the European Commission's technical capabilities in redesigning tech ecosystems. "The EC is redesigning an OS (operating system). It is substituting judgments made by Google's engineers for its own judgment based on less than three months of work," Apple stated 4

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. The company suggested that the only discernible value guiding the draft measures "appears to be open and unfettered access," questioning whether the commission fully understands the security protocols and device integrity requirements necessary for modern operating system design 1

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Implications for iOS and Tech Ecosystems

Apple's intervention reflects concerns that similar requirements could be imposed on iOS, forcing the company to open up Android to AI services in ways that mirror what's being demanded of Google. The company is already subject to EU proposals to open up its ecosystem and has long opposed the Digital Markets Act, under which Apple is required to allow third-party marketplaces for apps on its operating system 2

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. In January, Apple accused the European Union's executive body of using "political delay tactics" to investigate and fine the company 2

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What Happens Next for AI Rivals and Platform Access

The feedback period for the proposals ran from April 27 to May 13, 2026. The European Commission states it will "carefully assess" submissions from both Google and interested parties, with possible adjustments to the proposed measures 4

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. However, the commission mandates that its final decision must be adopted within six months of opening the specification proceedings, setting a deadline of July 27, 2026 3

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. Separately, in May 2026, the EU concluded that its Digital Markets Act has made a positive impact overall, setting aside Apple's lobbying for the regulation to be revised 3

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. The outcome will likely set precedent for how AI rivals gain access to dominant platforms and could reshape competitive dynamics in the rapidly evolving AI landscape.