ChatGPT becomes first AI chatbot to face tougher EU rules

The hugely popular chatbot reported more than 159 million users in the EU at the end of March, representing more than a third of the bloc's population.(AFP) — ChatGPT will have to comply with tougher safety rules after the European Union added it Monday to a list of digital services subject to greater legal scrutiny in Europe, a first for an AI chatbot.Brussels also designated the Reddit forum and popular gaming platform Roblox as “very large” online platforms, a label that comes with additional obligations and oversight.“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 “very large” designation applies to platforms and search engines with more than 45 million monthly active users in the 27-nation bloc, a threshold ChatGPT, Reddit and Roblox reported meeting, the European Commission said.The three now have four months to comply with additional obligations under the Digital Services Act, or DSA, a content law that is a major part of the EU’s effort to rein in Big Tech.Those obligations include “assessing and mitigating” risks related to “the dissemination of illegal content, the negative effects on minors, users’ physical and mental well-being, fundamental rights, electoral processes and public security,” Brussels said.To bring ChatGPT under the DSA’s regulatory framework, the commission classified it as a search engine.‘Proud’The hugely popular artificial intelligence chatbot developed by U.S. company OpenAI reported more than 159 million users in the EU at the end of March, representing more than a third of the bloc’s population.ChatGPT said it was “preparing to meet the additional compliance requirements” that came with the designation, while Roblox said it was “proud to be the first gaming platform” to receive the “very large” designation in the EU.“Safety is foundational to everything we do and we look forward to continuing our constructive engagement with the European Commission,” said Joost Hagesteijn, the U.S.-based platform’s general manager for Europe.Popular with children and known for its immersive world of colorful graphics, Roblox says it has 46.6 million active players in the EU, just above the DSA threshold for tougher scrutiny.The sprawling U.S. discussion platform Reddit says it has more than 57 million users in the bloc.Heavy finesThe designations come as the EU has stepped up regulatory enforcement against the world’s biggest digital platforms, including many American companies, despite strong U.S. pushback and threats of retaliation.The EU has separately adopted the world’s most far-reaching rules governing artificial intelligence. Its flagship AI Act took effect in 2024, with obligations being phased in over several years to curb potentially dangerous uses of the technology.Lena-Maria Boswald of the German technology think tank Interface said ahead of ChatGPT’s designation that the expected 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.About 30 services have been listed for additional scrutiny under the DSA, most of them owned by major technology companies such as Google, Apple, Microsoft, TikTok, X, Amazon and Shein. The list also includes several pornography sites and the collaborative online encyclopedia Wikipedia.Companies found to have violated the law face heavy penalties, including fines of up to 6% of their annual global revenue and, in cases of serious and repeated violations, a possible ban on operating in Europe.The EU recently told TikTok to change what it deemed its addictive design or face large fines under the DSA.To date, the bloc has penalized three companies under the law: shopping platforms Temu and AliExpress, and Elon Musk’s social media platform X, which was fined 120 million euros ($138 million) for transparency and other violations.Subscribe to our free newslettersOur weekly newsletter Closing Arguments offers the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world, while the monthly Under the Lights dishes the legal dirt from Hollywood, sports, Big Tech and the arts.Additional Reads