Surge of ChatGPT Search Functionality in Europe

The search capability of ChatGPT, enabling the chatbot to access up-to-date information online, is gaining traction in Europe. According to a report by OpenAI Ireland Limited, the average number of active users of this feature reached 41.3 million per month in the six months leading up to March 31, 2025. In contrast, the previous six-month period saw just 11.2 million users. This information is reported by TechCrunch.

OpenAI releases these statistics 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 users to opt out of recommendation algorithms, provide access to certain data for researchers and authorities, and undergo external audits. Should the current growth rate continue, ChatGPT Search may be subject to these requirements.

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

Despite its rapid expansion, ChatGPT Search still trails behind the market leader — Google. Estimates suggest that the number of searches on Google far exceeds that of ChatGPT by hundreds of times. Surveys indicate that only 8% of users are willing to adopt ChatGPT as their primary search engine.

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