ChatGPT is set to face tougher regulatory scrutiny in the European Union after Brussels designated the artificial intelligence chatbot as a “very large” online platform under the Digital Services Act (DSA).
The move, announced on Monday, makes ChatGPT the first AI chatbot to receive the designation, alongside Reddit and gaming platform Roblox.
EU technology chief Henna Virkkunen said ChatGPT, Reddit and Roblox would now be subject to a higher level of scrutiny and accountability because of their impact on citizens and society.
The “very large” designation applies to digital platforms and search engines with more than 45 million monthly active users in the 27-member bloc. The European Commission said all three services reported meeting the threshold.
The companies have four months to comply with additional obligations under the DSA.
For ChatGPT, the European Commission has brought the service under the DSA by classifying it as a search engine. The chatbot, developed by US company OpenAI, reported more than 159 million users in the EU at the end of March, representing more than a third of the bloc’s population.
Under the new requirements, the platforms must assess and mitigate risks linked to the spread of illegal content, potential harm to minors, users’ physical and mental wellbeing, fundamental rights, electoral processes and public security.
Lena-Maria Boswald of German technology think tank Interface said the decision could set a precedent for the regulation of large generative AI systems operating in the EU.
OpenAI already faces risk-management requirements under the EU’s AI Act, but the DSA could expand the scope of regulatory oversight, she said.
The stricter scrutiny also covers Roblox, which has 46.6 million active players in the EU, and Reddit, which reports more than 57 million users in the bloc.
Heavy fines
The designations come as the EU continues to strengthen enforcement against major digital platforms, including several US technology companies.
The EU’s AI Act, described as the world’s most far-reaching legislation governing artificial intelligence, entered into force in 2024, with different obligations taking effect over several years.
The bloc has also ordered TikTok to address what it considered addictive design or face significant fines.
Companies found to have breached the DSA can face penalties of up to six per cent of their annual global turnover. Serious and repeated violations could also result in a company being banned from operating in Europe.
So far, the EU has imposed DSA penalties on shopping platforms Temu and AliExpress, as well as Elon Musk’s social media platform X. X was fined €120 million ($138 million) for transparency and other violations.
