Google could offer AI search alternatives, but rivals face conditions

Luke Meredith

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has proposed changes that could allow UK users to select an AI (artificial intelligence) assistant as their default search service through Google’s choice screens.

However, services such as Gemini, ChatGPT and Perplexity aren’t guaranteed a place, as the regulator is still consulting on the requirements they would need to meet.

Those requirements include security and technical conditions. The proposals could create an opportunity for Google’s competitors, although which providers would qualify remains unresolved.

Choice screens give users a selection of search services and allow them to choose their default. Under the plans, the search engine giant would have to present this choice when UK customers first use an Android phone or open Chrome, with another prompt every year.

The CMA also proposes that providers appearing on these screens must clearly attribute publisher content, allowing users to identify and access the original source. Responses to the consultation are due by 9 October, with a final decision expected before the end of 2026. These measures remain proposals at this stage. The CMA’s announcement sets out the conditions.

For companies investing in their online presence, the potential significance is how this could affect the route customers take to find them.

Making an AI assistant available as a default search option could encourage people to use it more regularly. Someone researching a service might then encounter a business through an answer generated by that assistant, rather than through a conventional list of search results. Whether the proposals would produce a substantial shift in behaviour remains to be seen.

There is also a distinction between having content attributed and receiving a website visit. A visible source gives someone the opportunity to click through, but they may feel the answer already provides everything they need. Attribution would therefore help people find the original publisher without guaranteeing it additional traffic.

For business owners, our view is that this development gives another reason to look beyond ranking positions when assessing marketing performance. Understanding which sources bring visitors, which pages encourage enquiries and which enquiries become customers provides a more useful basis for deciding where to invest.

A change to the available search options won’t automatically change customer habits overnight. However, paying attention to those habits as they develop can help companies make informed decisions about their content and marketing.

At Engage Web, we help businesses connect their online marketing with commercial goals. If you want to understand what developments in search could mean for your website, speak to our team.

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Luke Meredith

Content Editor at Engage Web

At home in both the digital sector and the world of communications, Luke thrives on deadlines and has held roles in healthcare, retail and digital marketing, gaining a sound knowledge of a wide range of sectors. He’s a massive swot as well, holding a first-class degree in BA Communication and Media, and now uses his writing skills and keen editorial eye in his role as Content Editor here. Luke helps to oversee our clients’ content requirements, while also looking after a pool of freelance writers across three continents.