ChatGPT placed under tougher EU rules

ChatGPT has become the first AI chatbot to be added to a European Union list of digital services facing stricter rules and closer oversight.

The EU also classified Reddit and Roblox as “very large” online platforms. The designation brings more legal obligations under the Digital Services Act (DSA). “ChatGPT, Reddit and Roblox will now be held to a higher standard of scrutiny and accountability in the European Union, in line with their large impact on our citizens and society,” EU technology chief Henna Virkkunen said.

The label applies to platforms and search engines with more than 45 million monthly active users in the EU. The European Commission said ChatGPT, Reddit and Roblox had reached that number.

The three have four months to comply with the new obligations. They will be required to identify and reduce risks linked to illegal content, harm to minors, users’ physical and mental health, fundamental rights, elections and public security.

The Commission classified ChatGPT as a search engine to bring it under the Digital Services Act (DSA).

Lena-Maria Boswald of the German tech think tank Interface said the move would set a precedent and influence the regulatory expectations for every large generative AI system used in the EU. “OpenAI already has risk-management obligations under the AI Act, but the DSA could widen the scope,” she said.

The EU has been increasing pressure on major digital platforms. TikTok was recently told to change what the EU described as its addictive design or face heavy fines. Last year, X was fined 120 million euros for failing to meet transparency requirements and other violations.