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AI assistants could join Google’s search choice screens

Google Chrome search engine home page is displayed on the screen of a computer
Photo: Chesnot/Getty Images

The CMA’s updated proposals change search options for UK users on Android and Chrome, allowing AI to compete with search engines.

Formally opening the door to AI assistants like ChatGPT and Perplexity competing with traditional search engines, the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has refined its proposals for how Google must let people choose their search providers on Android phones and in Chrome.

Published on September 23, 2026, the updated plan responds

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