The European Commission has officially classified OpenAI’s ChatGPT as a Very Large Online Search Engine (VLOSE) under the Digital Services Act (DSA), marking a significant regulatory milestone that brings the AI-powered chatbot under the EU’s toughest digital oversight.
- ChatGPT classified as Very Large Online Search Engine by EU
- Subject to stringent Digital Services Act obligations
- Enhanced transparency and independent risk audits mandated
What happened
On August 31, 2026, the European Commission designated OpenAI’s ChatGPT as a Very Large Online Search Engine (VLOSE) under the Digital Services Act. This designation places ChatGPT among platforms subject to the DSA’s most rigorous regulatory requirements, including comprehensive risk assessments, mitigation measures, independent audits, and transparency reporting.
The designation follows ChatGPT’s rollout and integration of a web search function, which enables users to search broadly across the internet. Although ChatGPT’s chat interface itself does not conduct live web searches, the Commission treated the service as a hybrid, applying the VLOSE classification based primarily on its search functionality, consistent with prior DSA designations of hybrid platforms.
Why it matters
This decision confirms the Digital Services Act’s technological neutrality by encompassing novel services like AI chatbots that incorporate search capabilities. It signals the EU’s commitment to bringing emerging frontier AI applications within established regulatory frameworks designed to protect users and public interest.
The designation also grants researchers vetted data access under Article 40 of the DSA, enabling independent investigations into systemic risks such as misinformation amplification, effects on media pluralism, and societal impacts on democracy, public health, and minors. ChatGPT’s influence on how information is curated and sources are cited will now be subject to scrutiny, influencing future transparency and risk mitigation enforcement.
What to watch next
Over the coming months, observers will monitor how the European Commission enforces compliance with the VLOSE obligations on OpenAI, including conduct of risk assessments and implementation of mitigation measures. How the chat function of ChatGPT may be regulated separately or in conjunction with its search features could emerge as a key question.
Additionally, the extent to which independent researchers leverage the DSA’s data access provisions to evaluate ChatGPT’s systemic risks, such as potential harms to civic discourse or media pluralism, will be pivotal. These insights could shape not only OpenAI’s operational compliance but also broader policy refinements regarding AI-driven information services globally.