Google is facing new pressure from the UK’s competition watchdog to give users more choice over search services on Android phones and Chrome. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has proposed new rules that could allow AI assistants such as ChatGPT and Perplexity to appear on Google’s search choice screens.
Under the proposed rules, Google would be required to show users a list of search providers when they first set up an Android phone or open Chrome. Users would also be asked once a year to choose their preferred default search service.
The proposals would extend these choice screens to AI assistants that meet Google’s required technical and security standards. This could give services such as ChatGPT and Perplexity a clearer opportunity to compete with Google’s own search services.
CMA Wants More Search Choice
The CMA said the way people search for information online is changing as AI assistants become increasingly popular.
Sarah Cardell, Chief Executive of the CMA, said: “The way people search for information online is changing.”
She added that the regulator had “listened carefully to feedback” and was responding to the growth of AI assistants, which people are increasingly using as their search service but which are not currently included on Google’s choice screens.
The proposed rules would also require search providers to properly attribute publisher content. This would help users identify where search results and information originated and allow them to access the original source material.
UK Google Search Rules
The CMA’s latest proposals are part of broader efforts to increase competition in online search. In June, the UK regulator ordered Google to provide greater transparency about how its search rankings work under new rules designed to support competition.
The latest proposals are now open for consultation until October 9. The CMA is expected to make a final decision by the end of 2026.
If adopted, the rules could change how Android and Chrome users select their default search services in the UK. They could also create a more direct route for AI assistants to compete for users as online search increasingly moves beyond traditional search engines.
