ChatGPT could join Google’s UK search choice screens

On 23 September 2026, the Competition and Markets Authority published updated proposals for how UK users choose their search service.

The plans would allow eligible AI assistants, including services such as ChatGPT and Perplexity, to appear alongside other search providers.

What’s proposed

Google would have to offer users a choice of search services when they first use Android or Chrome, followed by a yearly prompt to choose their default provider.

AI assistants could join those choice screens if they meet the relevant requirements, including technical and security checks. Inclusion would depend on eligibility.

Google would also need to ensure that listed providers fairly credit publisher content when they use it, so people can see where information comes from and visit the original source.

These are proposals. The consultation closes on 9 October, and the CMA expects to make its final decision by the end of 2026.

Why it matters

For someone who chooses an AI service as their default, a routine search could become the start of a conversation about what to buy.

A buyer might ask which accounting software suits a small business, then narrow the options by payroll features or price. The brands named in those answers have an opportunity to make the shortlist.

Making AI services easier to select could bring more of those decisions into AI search. How many people would switch, and whether they would keep using their chosen service, remains unknown.

For your business, the useful question is where you appear today. If a customer asks for a supplier without mentioning your name, does the answer introduce you?

What to check

Start with the questions customers ask before buying. Include the problems they need to solve, the alternatives they compare and the details that help them choose.

Asking ChatGPT to describe your company tells you something about how it represents you. Asking it to recommend a supplier in your category tells you whether it puts you forward.

Track mentions and citations separately. An answer can link to your guide while recommending another supplier, or name your business without linking to your website. Those are different outcomes.

Repeat the same questions across relevant services over time, and keep the answers so you can check what changed. This gives you a sample of your visibility on those questions, rather than a complete picture of every search in your market.

Read the sources behind the answers too. If competitors appear repeatedly, check what those pages explain about them. Then look for gaps in your own information: who your service suits, where you operate, what it costs and evidence of the work you deliver.

The proposed attribution requirement makes source links worth watching, but a citation alone doesn’t tell you whether anyone visited your site or became a customer. Review referrals and enquiries alongside visibility.

Use those findings to decide what needs attention. A vague service page needs different work from an incorrect third-party listing. Keep that work connected to your existing SEO programme.

If you’d like help checking your position, our AI Visibility Audit looks at buyer questions, competitors and the sources being cited.

FAQ

Would ChatGPT become the default for everyone?

No. Users would choose their provider. The proposals would allow eligible AI services onto the choice screens without automatically selecting them.

Does this mean replacing the assistant on an Android phone?

The announcement concerns the default search service. It does not establish a requirement to replace the phone’s system assistant.

Should we change our marketing budget now?

Start by checking your visibility and the commercial gaps. Use that evidence to decide what additional work is needed, rather than moving budget on the strength of the announcement alone.