Apple Alerts EU: Opening Android to AI Rivals Poses ‘Urgent’ Privacy Risks

Apple has issued a stark warning to European Union regulators that proposed rules forcing Google to open Android to competing artificial intelligence services would create “profound risks” for user privacy, security, and device integrity.

In a submission to the European Commission’s consultation on draft measures under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), Apple said the plans would undermine the very safeguards that protect European users. The draft measures would allow rival AI systems to interact with Android apps for tasks such as sending emails, ordering food, or sharing photos.

“They raise urgent and serious concerns,” Apple wrote, as reported by Reuters. “If confirmed, they would create profound risks for user privacy, security, and safety as well as device integrity and performance.”

Background

The EU is seeking feedback on how to make Google’s Android ecosystem more accessible to competing AI services under the DMA. Google itself has already pushed back, arguing the plans would erode privacy and security safeguards for European users.

Apple, which is also subject to EU measures requiring it to open its own ecosystem, has a strong interest in the case. The company specifically highlighted the unpredictable nature of rapidly evolving AI systems: “Risks are especially acute in the context of rapidly evolving AI systems whose capabilities, behaviours, and threat vectors remain unpredictable.”

Apple questioned the bloc’s technical expertise, stating that the Commission is “substituting judgments made by Google’s engineers for its own judgment based on less than three months of work.” The only discernible goal, Apple said, appears to be “open and unfettered access.”

The submission is the latest salvo in Apple’s long-running battle with EU regulators over the DMA. In October 2025, the company challenged the regulation in court, and a month earlier urged regulators to scrap it entirely, claiming it created security vulnerabilities. The EU has repeatedly dismissed such calls, and in May 2026 concluded the DMA has had a positive overall impact.

What This Means

The feedback period for the draft measures ran from April 27 to May 13, 2026. The European Commission will now assess submissions and may adjust the proposals, with a final decision required by July 27, 2026. A victory for Apple and Google could stall the EU’s push to open up digital ecosystems, while adoption of the measures could set a precedent for how AI services access mobile platforms across the bloc.

Tags: Europe, European Commission, European Union, Google, Reuters