Brussels sees the designation as overdue accountability for services with vast social reach; the companies frame it as a compliance milestone, while critics in Washington see the EU’s expanding digital rulebook as pressure on American technology firms.

The European Commission has designated OpenAI’s ChatGPT a Very Large Online Search Engine under the Digital Services Act, putting it in the same heightened scrutiny bracket as Reddit and Roblox. The threshold is 45 million average monthly EU users, a mark all three services have now crossed.¹

The move extends the DSA’s reach further into generative AI. ChatGPT will be expected to assess and mitigate risks involving minors, mental health and illegal content, while offering greater transparency around its systems. The wider regime also limits certain forms of ad targeting, including targeting minors and using sensitive personal traits.

Henna Virkkunen, the EU’s executive vice-president for tech sovereignty, security and democracy, said the designations mean the three services “will now be held to a higher standard of scrutiny and accountability” because of their impact on Europeans and society.¹ Failure to meet the new obligations can bring penalties of up to 6% of global revenue.²

The companies have until the end of December 2026 to comply. OpenAI said it was preparing for the additional requirements. Roblox welcomed its status as the first gaming platform to hit the milestone in Europe, saying “safety is foundational to everything we do” and pledging continued engagement with the Commission; Reddit did not immediately comment.²

The designation lands as the EU also rolls out its AI Act and investigates other AI-related questions under competition law. Brussels insists its rules apply irrespective of a company’s home country, rejecting Washington’s argument that European enforcement unfairly singles out US groups and conflicts with US free-speech principles.²