ChatGPT Search Nears EU Regulatory Threshold as Usage Surges

ChatGPT Search gains ground in Europe; could soon face EU scrutiny under DSA: Report

OpenAI began publishing usage metrics to comply with the Digital Services Act, the EU's sweeping regulation aimed at increasing transparency and accountability among online platforms. The law defines monthly active recipients as users who engage with a service at least once in a given period, including by viewing or interacting with content.ChatGPT Search, the web-enabled feature within OpenAI's conversational artificial intelligence (AI) platform, is seeing rapid adoption across Europe, according to a TechCrunch report. The growth could soon bring the tool under tighter scrutiny by European Union (EU) regulators. A filing by OpenAI Ireland Limited, one of OpenAI's corporate entities in the EU, shows that ChatGPT Search averaged around 41.3 million monthly active users over the six months ended March 31. This is up nearly fourfold from 11.2 million in the six months ended October 31, 2024. OpenAI began publishing usage metrics to comply with the Digital Services Act (DSA), the EU's sweeping regulation aimed at increasing transparency and accountability among online platforms. The law defines monthly active recipients as users who engage with a service at least once in a given period, including by viewing or interacting with content. Under the DSA, platforms or search engines with over 45 million average monthly users are categorised as "very large online platforms" and face additional compliance requirements. These include allowing users to opt out of algorithmic recommendation systems, sharing data with regulators and researchers, and undergoing independent audits. ChatGPT Search could cross this threshold soon, based on current user growth. Failure to comply with the DSA can attract fines of up to 6 percent of a company's global revenue. Continued non-compliance can lead to temporary suspension from operating within the EU. Since its launch last year, ChatGPT Search has made inroads against incumbents, such as Google. A survey published in September showed that 8 percent of respondents preferred ChatGPT over Google as their primary search engine. However, Google remains dominant, reportedly handling 373 times more search queries than ChatGPT.

ChatGPT Search Hits 41.3 Million EU Users, VLOP Status Likely

OpenAI's ChatGPT Search is quickly climbing the ranks in Europe and could soon be treated like Google or Meta under the EU's strictest tech rules. A new filing by the EU corporate divisions of the company, OpenAI Ireland Limited, shows that the tool had 41.3 million monthly users across the EU by March 2025, up from 11.2 million in October 2024, according to a Tech Crunch report. That's nearly four times what it was just six months earlier. If usage crosses 45 million monthly users, ChatGPT Search will be labelled a Very Large Online Platform (VLOP) under the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA). That comes with serious legal responsibilities. Failing to follow these rules could cost OpenAI up to 6% of its global revenue. In extreme cases, the EU can suspend the platform. Can AI Search Be Trusted? So far, researchers have pointed out some big problems. AI search engines cite incorrect news sources at an alarming 60% rate, a study by Columbia Journalism Review's Tow Center for Digital Journalism showed. In that study, researchers found that Perplexity provided 37% incorrect information compared to 67% (134 out of 200 queries) of ChatGPT Search and 94% of Grok 3. Furthermore, the AI search distorts news even from publishers OpenAI has deals with. The DSA expects VLOPs to actively manage risks like misinformation. That's easier said than done for AI-generated results. Unlike traditional platforms, ChatGPT doesn't just display links; it generates answers. That makes it harder to review, explain, or correct what it shows users. ChatGPT Search Still Far Behind Google Even as it grows fast, ChatGPT Search is still far from catching up to Google. According to a study, Google handles more than 370 times the number of search queries than ChatGPT. A survey done by Evercore, an investment firm, in September last year found that only 8% of people would choose ChatGPT Search over Google for everyday searching. But it isn't a side project anymore. It's becoming part of how people access the internet. That's why regulators are paying attention. Why It Matters: India is drafting its own Digital Competition Law, taking cues from Europe's Digital Services Act (DSA) and Digital Markets Act (DMA). If EU flags ChatGPT Search as a VLOP, Indian policymakers could use it as a clear example of how to regulate AI tools that operate like platforms. This isn't just about rules for OpenAI. Regulators now face the challenge of governing search in a world where AI models generate the answers instead of simply pulling them from websites. The more AI tools rely on browsers and search APIs, the more competition depends on who controls those pipes. As the EU moves toward treating generative AI as part of digital infrastructure, India and other countries will be watching closely. What happens next could define how AI platforms grow and how governments keep them in check. Also Read: