Big changes coming to how Brits can search on Android and Chrome
Key Points
- CMA wants a yearly search provider prompt on Android and Chrome
- AI assistants could appear on Google's choice screens for the first time
- Search providers on the screens must attribute publisher content fairly
- Consultation closes 9 October, with a decision due by year end
The CMA wants Google to give millions of UK Android and Chrome users a yearly choice of search provider, including AI assistants.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) published the strengthened proposals on Wednesday (23 September), updating a user choice measure it first put out for consultation in early 2026.
Under the plans, Google would have to show Android and Chrome users a choice of search services when they first set up their phone or open the browser. Google would then need to prompt users once a year to pick the default search provider they want to use.
AI assistants would also be able to appear on these choice screens for the first time, provided they meet the relevant criteria, including technical and security requirements. The CMA said the update reflects the growing number of people in the UK using services like ChatGPT and Perplexity to search for information online.
Any search provider that features on the choice screens would also have to attribute publisher content fairly whenever it uses that content. The regulator said this would let people access source material easily and see where their search results come from.
The CMA said it revised the proposals after listening to feedback from publishers, search providers and consumer groups.
“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,” said Sarah Cardell, chief executive of the CMA.
“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,” Cardell added.
The regulator will accept views on the updated proposals until 9 October. It expects to reach a final decision on the requirement by the end of the year.
Google’s special status
The CMA designated Google with strategic market status in general search and search advertising services in October 2025.
This status lets the regulator impose conduct requirements on Google under the UK’s digital markets competition regime, which came into force 20 months ago.
The CMA set out a package of proposed measures for Google Search in early 2026, covering user choice, data portability, fair ranking and publisher controls.
It imposed the publisher controls on 3 June, giving publishers a world-first right to opt out of AI features in Google’s search results.
The regulator followed this with fair ranking and data portability requirements on 17 June. The CMA said it has now made three strategic market status designations across search and mobile platforms since the regime began.
