ChatGPT to face tougher regulation in the EU

OpenAI’s ChatGPT has been classified as a “Very Large Online Platform” under the European Union’s Digital Services Act, ushering in a new wave of regulatory obligations for the popular AI chatbot.

What the VLOP designation means

The VLOP label applies to platforms with at least 45 million monthly active users in the EU. It triggers stricter duties around user safety, advertising transparency, and the handling of illegal content.

For ChatGPT, this translates into mandatory age‑verification mechanisms for minors, clearer labelling of any sponsored content, and a requirement to publish a public “risk assessment” outlining how the service mitigates harms such as misinformation or disinformation.

Impact on advertising and monetisation

Under the DSA, any ads displayed within ChatGPT must be clearly distinguished from organic responses. OpenAI will need to provide an “ad repository” that details who paid for each advertisement, the targeting criteria used, and the duration of the campaign.

Enhanced transparency obligations

The new rules also require OpenAI to disclose the algorithms that rank or filter content, as well as the data sources that inform the model’s outputs. While the exact technical details can remain proprietary, a high‑level description must be publicly available.

• Implement robust age‑verification for users under 18
• Create an online ad library with sponsor details
• Publish a risk‑assessment report on model safety

Compliance timeline

The European Commission has given platforms 12 months to meet the VLOP requirements. Failure to comply could result in fines of up to 6 % of global annual turnover, or even a temporary suspension of services within the EU market.

OpenAI has indicated it is working with EU regulators to align its policies, but the company has not yet disclosed a detailed rollout plan for the new compliance features.

The Verge coverage of OpenAI's ChatGPT EU DSA designation