The UK Plans to Expand the Choice of AI Search Services for Google Users

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) put forward proposals on Wednesday that would give users of Google's Android and Chrome a wider choice of search services and greater control over them. The alternatives could include AI assistants such as ChatGPT and Perplexity.

Under the CMA's proposals, Google could be required to offer a so-called choice screen on Android devices and in the Chrome browser, allowing users to select their preferred default search service. The agency's goal is to make it easier for users to switch search services and to strengthen competition in the market.

The measures put forward by the regulator are part of a broader competition policy concerning Google's search business. The CMA has already imposed requirements on Google regarding the fair ranking of search results, the portability of users' search data, and giving publishers greater control over the use of their content.

The CMA has granted Google "strategic market status" in the search services sector, which creates the possibility of imposing additional requirements under the UK's special regulatory regime for digital markets. According to the agency's estimates, Google processes more than 90% of general search queries in the UK.

The new proposals are particularly significant against the backdrop of the rapid development of AI assistants, as users increasingly turn to chatbots and AI-based services to look for information. The CMA's 2026 documents note that ChatGPT and Perplexity can already be used as alternative search services in Chrome, though they are not currently presented as alternatives to Google on Android's choice screen.