EU designates ChatGPT a Very Large Search Engine under DSA
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The European Commission has designated ChatGPT as a Very Large Online Search Engine under the Digital Services Act (DSA), making it the first standalone AI service to fall under the EU's strictest platform rules. Reddit and Roblox were also designated as Very Large Online Platforms on the same day. Non-compliance with the DSA can result in fines of up to 6% of global annual turnover, with the DSA having already generated approximately €870 million in fines, including significant penalties against AliExpress, Temu, and X.
The European Commission has designated ChatGPT a Very Large Online Search Engine under the Digital Services Act, making OpenAI's chatbot the first standalone AI service brought under the bloc's toughest platform rules. Reddit and Roblox were added the same day as Very Large Online Platforms, [Euronews reported]( https://www.euronews.com/next/2026/08/31/eu-places-chatgpt-reddit-and-roblox-under-strictest-digital-safety-rules ).
All three crossed the 45 million monthly EU user threshold that triggers direct Commission oversight. ChatGPT reported 159 million monthly active users over the six-month period ending March 2026; Reddit reported 57.2 million; Roblox roughly 48 million.
The Commission classified ChatGPT as a "hybrid service" that qualifies as an online search engine "because it can engage with and respond to users' prompts and queries, including by searching the web." The three companies have four months, until the end of November, to conduct annual systemic risk assessments covering illegal content, minor protection, mental and physical wellbeing, fundamental rights, electoral processes and public security, submit to independent audits, and share data with regulators and vetted researchers.
"These new designations mean that ChatGPT, Reddit and Roblox will now be subject to a higher level of scrutiny and accountability in the European Union, commensurate with their significant impact on our citizens and society," said Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy.
Non-compliance can cost up to 6% of global annual turnover. The DSA has produced roughly €870 million in fines to date, including €550 million against AliExpress, €200 million against Temu and €120 million against X.