CMA proposes yearly search choice screens, open to AI assistants
On 23 September 2026 the UK's Competition and Markets Authority strengthened its proposals for Google's search services. Android and Chrome users in the UK would be asked to choose their search service when they set up, and again every year, and AI assistants could be among the choices.
Last updated · By the XKey team
What has the CMA proposed?
- Choice screens: Google would have to show Android and Chrome users in the UK a choice of search services when they first set up an Android phone or open Chrome.
- A yearly prompt asking people to pick their default search provider again.
- AI assistants could appear on these screens if they meet the CMA's criteria, including technical and security requirements.
- Fair credit for publishers: search providers on the choice screens would have to attribute publishers' content fairly, so people can reach the source and see where answers came from.
When will it happen?
Not yet. The proposals follow the CMA's decision to give Google "strategic market status" in search. Views were invited until 9 October 2026, and the CMA expects to make its final decision by the end of 2026.
What does it mean for a small UK business?
If the rules go ahead, more people in the UK could end up searching with Bing, DuckDuckGo or an AI assistant such as ChatGPT instead of Google. Google is still where most searches happen, but a site that only works for Google could miss a growing share of customers.
The good news is that the same basics work everywhere: clear pages that answer real questions, accurate business details, and a site search engines and AI tools are allowed to read. Three practical steps:
- Set up Bing Places and Bing Webmaster Tools – Bing's index also feeds several other search services and AI assistants.
- Check how ready your site is for AI search with the AI SEO checker, and read how to appear in ChatGPT.
- Make sure your robots.txt doesn't block the search crawlers you want – see blocking AI training bots for which ones are which.
Sources
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