{"slug": "chatgpt-is-about-to-become-the-first-ai-chatbot-in-the-eus-toughest-tier", "title": "ChatGPT is about to become the first AI chatbot in the EU’s toughest tier", "summary": "The European Commission plans to designate OpenAI's ChatGPT as a 'very large online search engine' and Roblox as a 'very large online platform' under the strictest tier of the Digital Services Act, a move that could come as soon as August. The designation, triggered by both services exceeding 45 million monthly users in the EU, would impose obligations including annual risk assessments, independent audits, transparency reports, and fines of up to 6% of global annual turnover for non-compliance. The move signals that Brussels views generative-AI chatbots as platforms requiring heavy regulation, amid ongoing lawsuits and child-safety concerns.", "body_md": "ChatGPT is about to become the first AI chatbot to face Europe’s toughest platform rules. The European Commission plans to place OpenAI’s chatbot and the gaming platform Roblox under the strictest tier of the Digital Services Act. The designation could come as soon as August.\n\nThe move was [first reported by Bloomberg](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-07-29/chatgpt-roblox-to-fall-under-strictest-eu-rules-for-platforms), citing a person familiar with the plan. ChatGPT’s search function would be designated a “very large online search engine.” Roblox would become a “very large online platform.” Both crossed the DSA’s trigger of 45 million monthly users in the bloc.\n\nThe Commission was more guarded in public. Its spokesperson, Thomas Regnier, [told Reuters](https://www.reuters.com/technology/chatgpt-roblox-could-be-included-dsa-scope-eu-commission-spokesperson-says-2026-07-30/) a designation was “definitely possible” and could “come sooner or later.” OpenAI said it continues to engage positively with Brussels. Roblox did not comment.\n\n## What the label actually demands\n\nThe tag is not a trophy. It adds ChatGPT and Roblox to a list of around two dozen platforms carrying the DSA’s heaviest obligations. That group already runs from Meta and X to Amazon and TikTok. They get four months from designation to comply.\n\nThat means annual risk assessments and independent audits, transparency reports, ad-transparency rules, and a recommendation feed not based on profiling. They must share data with regulators and vetted researchers, and report criminal offences. There is also a supervisory fee. Breaching the rules risks fines of up to 6 per cent of global annual turnover.\n\nThe point is systemic risk. Designated services must identify and mitigate harms tied to illegal content, elections, discrimination, gender-based violence, and users’ mental and physical health. For a chatbot and a children’s game, those are not abstract categories.\n\n## Why these two\n\nRoblox is an obvious target. It faces [lawsuits and criticism](https://thenextweb.com/news/roblox-age-gated-account-tiers-kids-select-child-safety) over child-safety failures, and has been rolling out age checks and age-separated chat in response. The DSA’s core aim is protecting children online, and Roblox is where millions of them gather.\n\nChatGPT is the more novel case. OpenAI is fighting wrongful-death suits from families who say the chatbot failed users in crisis, and Florida has sued the company and Sam Altman. Pulling a generative-AI product into the top tier signals that Brussels sees chatbots as platforms to be policed, not tools to wave through.\n\n## A familiar fight\n\nThis is now a well-worn pattern. The Commission has opened more than a dozen probes since the DSA took effect. It fined [AliExpress €550m](https://thenextweb.com/news/aliexpress-eu-dsa-fine-550-million), penalised Temu, and hit X with a €120m charge it is appealing. It has escalated an addictive-design [probe into Meta](https://thenextweb.com/news/eu-meta-addictive-design-dsa-findings-instagram-facebook) and charged [TikTok](https://thenextweb.com/news/tiktok-eu-dsa-child-safety-charge) over child safety.\n\nIt is also part of a wider European push, from [France’s under-15 social-media ban](https://thenextweb.com/news/france-social-media-ban-under-15s) to a growing [AI rulebook](https://thenextweb.com/news/eu-ai-act-enforcement-powers-rogue-agent-us-china). The Trump administration calls the DSA a form of “economic extortion” against American firms. Critics ask, more pointedly, why Europe regulates the platforms it cannot seem to build.\n\nThe counter is straightforward. As X shows, a designation is a demand, not a cure, and the platform is no one’s model of online safety despite its fine. But forcing two of the internet’s most scrutinised services to open their systems to auditors still beats taking their word that all is well.\n\n## Get the TNW newsletter\n\nGet the most important tech news in your inbox each week.", "url": "https://wpnews.pro/news/chatgpt-is-about-to-become-the-first-ai-chatbot-in-the-eus-toughest-tier", "canonical_source": "https://thenextweb.com/news/chatgpt-roblox-eu-dsa-vlop-vlose-designation", "published_at": "2026-07-30 16:39:46+00:00", "updated_at": "2026-07-30 18:02:01.223401+00:00", "lang": "en", "topics": ["ai-policy", "artificial-intelligence", "ai-products"], "entities": ["European Commission", "OpenAI", "ChatGPT", "Roblox", "Digital Services Act", "Thomas Regnier", "Sam Altman", "Meta"], "alternates": {"html": "https://wpnews.pro/news/chatgpt-is-about-to-become-the-first-ai-chatbot-in-the-eus-toughest-tier", "markdown": "https://wpnews.pro/news/chatgpt-is-about-to-become-the-first-ai-chatbot-in-the-eus-toughest-tier.md", "text": "https://wpnews.pro/news/chatgpt-is-about-to-become-the-first-ai-chatbot-in-the-eus-toughest-tier.txt", "jsonld": "https://wpnews.pro/news/chatgpt-is-about-to-become-the-first-ai-chatbot-in-the-eus-toughest-tier.jsonld"}}