According to announcements from Brussels, the executive body also designated online forum Reddit and gaming platform Roblox as very large online platforms, pulling all three services under the legal scope of the Digital Services Act.
The decision establishes a direct regulatory precedent for generative artificial intelligence operating within the 27-nation bloc. To bring OpenAI’s chatbot under the Digital Services Act, the European Commission formally qualified ChatGPT as a search engine. That classification triggers strict compliance deadlines for companies operating digital services with massive reach across member states.
Compliance Timeline and User Thresholds
According to the European Commission, the very large designation applies automatically to digital platforms and search engines reporting more than 45 million monthly active users inside the European Union. ChatGPT, Reddit, and Roblox all reported meeting that usage threshold, according to regulatory filings cited by the commission.
EU technology chief Henna Virkkunen stated that ChatGPT, Reddit, and Roblox will now face higher standards of scrutiny and accountability due to their large impact on European citizens and society.
Systemic Risks and Legal Obligations
The Digital Services Act serves as a primary legal instrument deployed by Brussels to regulate Big Tech operations. Under the newly applied rules, ChatGPT, Reddit, and Roblox must systematically assess and mitigate risks stemming from their services and algorithmic systems.
According to the European Commission, required risk mitigations target several specific areas:
- The dissemination of illegal content across platforms.
- Negative developmental effects on minors.
- Risks to users’ physical and mental well-being.
- Protection of fundamental rights.
- Integrity of electoral processes.
- Public security threats.
Broader Regulatory Context and Precedent
The widening regulatory enforcement arrives amid ongoing friction between Brussels and major American technology companies. Lena-Maria Boswald, an analyst at the German tech think tank Interface, noted ahead of the announcement that the inclusion of ChatGPT sets a clear precedent and will influence regulatory expectations for every large generative AI system deployed in the European Union.
While OpenAI already maintains risk-management obligations under the separate Artificial Intelligence Act, the Digital Services Act significantly broadens the legal scope of oversight. The enforcement actions match aggressive moves across the bloc targeting major platforms. The European Commission recently ordered TikTok to alter features it deemed addictive or face severe financial penalties. Last year, regulators issued a €120 million fine against Elon Musk’s social media platform X for breaching transparency obligations and other statutory violations.
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