Date: August 31, 2026 Main source: European Commission Link: https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/news/commission-designates-chatgpt-reddit-roblox-under-digital-services-act Additional sources: https://www.reuters.com/world/chatgpt-reddit-roblox-adhere-eus-very-large-platform-rules-2026-08-31/
Summary
The European Commission designated ChatGPT as a Very Large Online Search Engine under the Digital Services Act, while Reddit and Roblox were designated Very Large Online Platforms. The services reported at least 45 million average monthly users in the European Union, the threshold that triggers this classification. ChatGPT will have four months to meet additional obligations on systemic risk assessment and mitigation, transparency and how algorithmic systems operate. The obligations reach areas such as illegal content, minors, fundamental rights, electoral processes and public safety.
Why it matters
The classification confirms that AI assistants are already being treated by regulators as large-scale information infrastructure, not just software. This can raise compliance costs for providers and affect how they design search, recommendations, activity logs and safety controls. It also sets a reference point other regulators can watch when they define rules for assistants and agents.
Practical implications
- Companies serving European users should document which tasks they hand to external models and how they handle data, logs and generated results.
- Products built on ChatGPT or other assistants should not assume the same features will be available unchanged in every region.
- It pays to build in traceability and risk controls from the design stage, especially in systems that publish, recommend or make decisions automatically.