EU Classifies ChatGPT as a Very Large Online Search Engine

The European Commission has officially designated ChatGPT as a Very Large Online Search Engine (VLOSE) under the European Union’s Digital Services Act (DSA). The decision makes ChatGPT the first AI chatbot to receive this classification and reflects the EU’s view that its ability to answer queries while searching the internet means it functions, in regulatory terms, as a search engine.

The designation is based partly on ChatGPT’s large European user base. Under the DSA, services reaching more than 45 million monthly users in the EU can fall into the bloc’s highest level of regulatory oversight. OpenAI reported that ChatGPT’s search function averaged about 159 million monthly active users in the EU during the six months ending in March 2026, putting it well above the threshold.

The new classification means OpenAI will have to comply with additional requirements designed to address systemic risks. These include assessing and mitigating risks involving illegal content, protection of minors, fundamental rights, public security and the potential effects of online services on users’ physical and mental wellbeing.

The EU will also have greater oversight of ChatGPT’s operations. OpenAI will be required to undergo independent audits and provide certain data to regulators and vetted researchers. The European Commission will supervise compliance alongside Ireland’s digital-services regulator, reflecting the increasingly intensive scrutiny faced by major technology companies operating in Europe.

OpenAI has four months to comply with the additional requirements following the designation. The decision comes alongside similar classifications for Reddit and Roblox, although those services were designated as Very Large Online Platforms because they allow users to publicly create and distribute content. The three additions bring the number of services under the DSA’s strictest tier to 28.

The move marks an important moment in AI regulation because it shows that European authorities are adapting existing digital-platform rules to technologies that do not fit neatly into traditional categories. For OpenAI, the designation could mean greater transparency and accountability in Europe as ChatGPT increasingly operates not just as a conversational AI system, but also as an information-retrieval tool.