The UK's Competition and Markets Authority has proposed giving Android and Chrome users more control over their default search engine and AI assistant. The plan would require Google and smartphone makers to present a choice screen on first use, followed by an annual prompt. UK users already see a choice screen today, so the main change would be making it permanent and adding the yearly reminder.
The CMA also wants to extend choice to AI assistants, provided they meet unspecified technical and security standards. This responds to the growing use of assistants like Gemini, which is currently tightly integrated into Google Search with no way to swap it out. The regulator's chief executive said the goal is to future-proof options as new AI search services emerge.
A third recommendation targets attribution: search providers would need to clearly credit publisher content when displaying results. The proposal follows earlier CMA actions in June 2026, including a rule letting publishers opt out of AI results and new data portability requirements. The source notes that Europe already mandates similar choice screens, but the AI assistant element is a novel step. No opposing views are presented in the article.