The search function of ChatGPT, which gives the chatbot access to fresh information from the internet, is rapidly expanding in Europe. According to a report by OpenAI Ireland Limited, the average number of active users of this feature reached 41.3 million monthly in the six months leading up to March 31, 2025. In comparison, the previous half-year only recorded 11.2 million. This information was reported by TechCrunch.

OpenAI releases this statistic in accordance with the EU Digital Services Act (DSA), which governs the operations of large online platforms in Europe. Under this law, services with over 45 million active users monthly must allow opt-outs from recommendation algorithms, provide access to certain data for researchers and authorities, and undergo external audits. If current growth trends continue, ChatGPT Search may fall under these requirements.

Violations of DSA rules could result in fines of up to 6% of a company's global revenue or even a temporary ban on operations within the EU.

Despite its rapid growth, ChatGPT Search is still far behind the market leader — Google. Estimates suggest that the number of search queries on Google far exceeds those of ChatGPT by a factor of hundreds. Surveys indicate that only 8% of users are willing to use ChatGPT as their primary search engine.

Additionally, ChatGPT Search has its limitations — particularly in accuracy. Research shows that it often makes mistakes when searching for articles or processing news, even when it has access to licensed sources.