The European Commission designated OpenAI's ChatGPT a Very Large Online Search Engine under the EU's Digital Services Act, the first such label for an AI chatbot, according to Euronews and ppc.land.
The decision, announced August 31, applies once a service crosses 45 million average monthly users in the EU. OpenAI reported roughly 159.1 million average monthly active users for ChatGPT's search feature over the six months that ended March 31, more than three times the threshold, ppc.land reported. Reddit and Roblox were designated Very Large Online Platforms in the same batch of decisions, with about 57.2 million and 48 million EU users respectively, Euronews reported.
The label brings annual systemic risk assessments covering illegal content, minors' mental and physical wellbeing, fundamental rights, electoral processes and public security, along with independent audits and data access for regulators and vetted researchers, both outlets reported. Companies get four months from notification to complete the initial risk assessment, according to ppc.land and Euronews.
OpenAI Ireland Limited is ChatGPT's main EU establishment for supervision purposes, with Ireland's Coimisiun na Mean as the lead digital services coordinator, ppc.land reported. Noncompliance can carry fines of up to 6% of global annual turnover, according to Euronews.
For builders integrating ChatGPT or any AI product that behaves like a search engine, crossing the 45 million EU user line now brings the same audit obligations, ad transparency rules and mandatory risk reporting that Google Search and Bing already carry. Any AI tool nearing that scale in the EU should expect the same treatment next.