EU antitrust regulators are questioning industry participants about whether Google’s (GOOGL.O) multi-year generative artificial intelligence (AI) deal with Samsung (005930.KS) restricts rival chatbots on Samsung smartphones, according to an EU document seen by Reuters.
Last month, the European Commission announced that it would send out requests for information to better understand the implications of the deal, which would see Samsung integrate Google’s Gemini Nano into its Galaxy S24 series smartphones. This move could help the EU antitrust authorities build a case against the companies if any anti-competitive practices are identified.
The questionnaire asked whether the pre-installation of Gemini Nano on the device or via the cloud limits the number of other generative AI systems that can be pre-installed on the same device. Regulators also inquired if the pre-installation of Gemini Nano affects interoperability between other chatbots and apps pre-installed on Samsung smartphones.
Respondents were asked if they had attempted but failed to secure deals with device manufacturers to pre-install their chatbots and to provide details on the reasons for their rejections. The eight-page questionnaire requires responses by the end of this week.
