ChatGPT and other AI assistants are not guaranteed a place on Google’s search choice screens under new UK competition rules, despite proposals to open the door to rival services. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is still consulting on the criteria AI providers will have to meet to qualify for inclusion, with technical and security requirements among the conditions being considered.
The CMA unveiled plans on Wednesday to allow AI assistants to feature on Google’s choice screens, aiming to keep pace with the shift towards services like ChatGPT and Perplexity for online search. These choice screens allow consumers to select their default search service, offering a direct route to users.
Under wider proposals, Google would have to show UK customers a choice of search services when they first use an Android phone or open Chrome, with an annual prompt thereafter. CMA chief executive Sarah Cardell stated that the way people search online is changing, with new services creating opportunities for innovation and competition.
The regulator is also proposing that any provider appearing on the screen must clearly and accurately attribute publisher content it uses, allowing users to identify and access the original source. This follows the CMA's decision to designate Google with “strategic market status” in search, granting the watchdog powers to impose targeted competition rules.