UK Android and Chrome users would get a fresh say over which search service they use, including the option of an AI assistant, under strengthened proposals the Competition and Markets Authority has put out for consultation. The regulator says the plans respond to the growing use of tools such as ChatGPT and Perplexity and to rapid shifts in how people in the UK search online. Feedback on the proposals is open until 9 October, with a final decision on the conduct requirement expected before the end of the year.
The choice would appear at first use on Android and Chrome, and users would be prompted once a year to reselect their default search provider. AI assistants could qualify as a search service if they meet technical and security criteria, though the document does not set out what those criteria are or name any assistants that would qualify.
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Under the proposals, Google would have to make sure that any search provider shown on a choice screen attributes publisher content fairly and accurately. The aim is for users to reach source material easily and to understand where a result came from. The CMA says it listened to publishers, search providers and consumer groups in shaping the revised package.
Sarah Cardell, the CMA's Chief Executive, said: "The way people search for information online is changing, with new services creating fresh opportunities for innovation and competition. We’ve listened carefully to feedback and are responding quickly to the rise of AI assistants, which people are increasingly using as their search service, but aren’t included on Google’s choice screens. This is about future-proofing the options available to people in the UK so they can choose the search service they want as these come to market."
The consultation follows a period of rapid activity under the UK's digital markets competition regime, which has been in force for 20 months. The CMA has issued three strategic market status designations in that time, covering search and mobile platforms, and says its interventions are already opening opportunities for consumers and businesses.
