Europe is the next target for ChatGPT Search and its mushrooming search share. This is the key ingredient that allows the chatbot to pull real-time information from the web. OpenAI’s data shows that ChatGPT had around 41.3 million average monthly active users in the European Union. This amount is based on the six-month period ending March 31, 2025. That’s a huge increase. On a monthly basis, that translated to an average of 11.2 million MAUs over the six-month period leading up to October 31, 2024.
The growth in popularity is nothing short of astonishing. ChatGPT search is said to be doing 373x the number searches than its predecessor, ChatGPT. This newfound feature is changing the game, moving the spotlight off of search engine giants such as Google. In a poll we ran this past September, only 8% of respondents said they’d use ChatGPT search as their default search engine.
Yet the expansion of ChatGPT search has not come without its difficult adjustments. A study highlighted accuracy issues regarding its handling of news content, revealing that it incorrectly identified 67% of searched articles. This is troubling by itself and especially considering OpenAI’s recent licensing deals with several major publishers.
ChatGPT search is the fastest advancing technology ever. Soon, it will be held accountable through Europe’s ambitious new regulation called the Digital Services Act (DSA). The DSA imposes stringent obligations only on the “very large” online platforms. ChatGPT search has achieved this most important criterion because it boasts a massive user base. These regulations require platforms to allow users to opt out of recommendation systems and profiling, share specific data with researchers and authorities, and undergo external audits.
OpenAI now pledges to be strong carriers of the wave of transparency and compliance with the DSA. The company commits to making regular public disclosures about its activities under this statute in order to promote compliance with all applicable legal and regulatory obligations. According to OpenAI’s DSA FAQ article, users engage with the service by “being exposed to information disseminated on the online interface of the online platform, such as viewing it or listening to it.”
ChatGPT search is having an undeniable disruptive effect on the market. Stakeholders are rightfully watching its compliance with DSA regulations and addressing issues with accuracy and reliability.
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