1 September 2026
EU classifies ChatGPT as search engine, imposes strict oversight
First reported
The Decoder ran this on , a day before the next source picked it up.
- The European Commission designated ChatGPT a very large search engine under its Digital Services Act, triggering new compliance requirements for OpenAI.
- ChatGPT must meet obligations by end of December 2026, including risk assessments, transparency reports, researcher data access, and illegal content reporting mechanisms.
- Legal experts disagree on whether the EU can demand access to ChatGPT's training data and model weights, or only operational information about risks.
How it was covered
Prompt Engineering DailyAadit Sheth
The European Commission classified ChatGPT as a 'Very Large Online Search Engine' under the Digital Services Act, based on 159 million average monthly EU users. This subjects OpenAI to strict DSA oversight including transparency rules, risk assessments, and researcher data access, with compliance required by end of December and potential fines up to 6% of global revenue.
Reported by The Decoder