Apple backs Google's privacy concerns over EU's AI access demands for Android
L'essentiel
- Apple has sided with Google in its dispute with the European Commission over proposed rules that would grant third-party AI services equal access to Android.
- Apple echoed Google's concerns that such access could undermine user privacy and security.
Résumé généré par IA
Pourquoi c'est important
The European Commission is enforcing the Digital Markets Act (DMA) to ensure fair competition in the digital space. As part of this, it has demanded Google provide third-party AI services equal access to Android and user data, similar to its own Gemini AI.
Apple is on Google's side when it comes the latter's criticisms against the European Union's proposals which would give third-party AI services the same level of access to Android that Gemini has. The European Commission has been taking steps to ensure that Google complies with the rules of the Digital Markets Act (DMA).
In January, it told the company that it has to give external AI assistants the same access to Android its own technology has and to hand over "anonymized ranking, query, click and view data held by Google Search" to rival search engines.
The aim, the commission said, was to give third-party providers an "an equal opportunity to innovate and compete in the rapidly evolving AI landscape on smart mobile devices." It explained that opening up Android would keep the AI market open and promote innovation in the field.
In April, the commission released draft rules with the measures it wants Google to take to comply with its AI demands. Google's counsel argued at the time that the measures would undermine "critical privacy and security for European users" and unnecessarily drive up costs.
Apple agreed with Google in its feedback, sent in response to the commission's call for comments on the draft rules it had released.
According to Reuters, Apple echoed Google's statement that allowing competing AI services complete access to Android would undermine European users' privacy. It would, for instance, allow them to interact with the apps people use to send emails, order food or share photos.
"The DMs (draft measures) raise urgent and serious concerns. If confirmed, they would create profound risks for user privacy, security, and safety as well as device integrity and performance," the company reportedly wrote. It added that the risks are pretty high, since AI systems are still evolving and have capabilities and behaviors that remain unpredictable.
"The EC... is substituting judgments made by Google's engineers for its own judgment based on less than three months of work," the company also wrote, questioning the little time the commission had to write the draft rules. "It is all the more dangerous given the only value that can be discerned from the DMs guiding this work appears to be open and unfettered access."
Questions ouvertes
- Will the European Commission proceed with its draft rules?
- What specific actions will Apple and Google take if the rules are confirmed?
- What are the potential long-term implications for AI development on mobile devices?
- How will the DMA's enforcement impact other tech giants?
