The News
OpenAI’s ChatGPT may soon be classified as a “very large search engine” under the European Union’s Digital Services Act (DSA), according to a report from German newspaper Handelsblatt, as summarized by Tech-Economic Times (published April 10, 2026). If the classification proceeds, the DSA would impose stricter regulations on the service. The European Commission is also reported to be reviewing user data related to the classification process, while OpenAI has declined to comment on the development.
From Chatbot to “Very Large Search Engine”
The proposed classification represents a significant regulatory shift: ChatGPT is set to be classified as a very large search engine. Under the DSA framework, this designation carries substantial implications. It signals that a service’s role in information discovery and user access is significant enough to warrant higher compliance expectations.
Handelsblatt reported the shift, citing sources, and Tech-Economic Times relayed the same information: the reclassification would mean ChatGPT would fall under the DSA and therefore face stricter rules. The report also notes that the European Commission is reviewing user data related to this classification. This detail is noteworthy because it suggests the decision may depend on observable patterns of use—how users interact with the service and how the service functions in practice as a gateway to information.
What the Commission’s Data Review Implies for AI Systems
While the source does not specify which datasets or metrics the Commission is evaluating, it establishes a direct link between classification and user data review. For AI companies, that connection is significant because it ties regulatory outcomes to the operational reality of deploying language models at scale.
From a technology standpoint, user data can capture a range of interactions—such as query-like prompts, browsing-adjacent behavior, and the ways users rely on a system to retrieve or synthesize information. The source does not enumerate the exact signals, but the existence of a Commission review of user data indicates that regulators may treat the service’s “search-like” behavior as measurable.
Observers may watch for how this classification could affect engineering priorities around data handling and compliance instrumentation. If a service is categorized under a regime designed for search and discovery, the company’s systems may need stronger controls and reporting mechanisms aligned with that role.
Why DSA Classification Matters for Technology Operations
The source’s focus centers on the DSA and the “very large search engine” category, but the implications for technology operations could be immediate. A reclassification can change what teams must document, monitor, and potentially modify in how a system responds to users.
In practice, AI services combine model behavior with product features—prompt handling, response generation, ranking or selection of information sources (if any are used), and user interface patterns that shape how people interpret outputs. If regulators treat ChatGPT as a search engine, the compliance workload could extend beyond model training to include the end-to-end product pipeline: how queries are processed, how outputs are delivered, and how user interactions are tracked for oversight.
The report also states that OpenAI declined to comment on the development. That lack of comment could reflect uncertainty during review, internal assessment, or a decision to wait for more concrete guidance. For the industry, the absence of confirmation means that engineers and compliance teams may need to plan for multiple scenarios: one in which the classification proceeds and one in which it does not.
What to Monitor Next
Because the source describes the situation as a set of developments—classification expectations, a Commission review of user data, and a company declining to comment—the next steps are likely to be procedural and evidence-driven. The outlet’s account points to the EU Commission’s review as the immediate focus.
For tech audiences, the key watch items would be: whether the European Commission finalizes the “very large search engine” status for ChatGPT, what user-data elements are considered relevant to that determination, and how OpenAI responds once the regulatory boundaries become clearer. The source does not provide timelines beyond the article’s publication date of April 10, 2026, so specific deadlines cannot be inferred from the text.
More broadly, this case could signal how regulators may interpret AI-driven information services. If ChatGPT’s functionality is treated similarly to search engines, other AI systems that function as information finders or interpreters could face similar scrutiny under the DSA—though the source does not mention other companies, so any broader extrapolation should be treated as analysis rather than reported fact.
Bottom Line
According to Handelsblatt, as reported by Tech-Economic Times, ChatGPT is set to be classified as a very large search engine under the EU Digital Services Act. That classification would bring stricter regulation, while the European Commission reviews user data connected to the classification. OpenAI has declined to comment, leaving the outcome contingent on the Commission’s review.
Source: Tech-Economic Times