The Surge of ChatGPT's Search Functionality in Europe
The search functionality of ChatGPT, which allows the chatbot to access up-to-date information from the internet, is experiencing significant growth in Europe. According to a report by OpenAI Ireland Limited, the average number of active users for this feature reached 41.3 million per month over the six months leading up to March 31, 2025. In comparison, the previous six months saw only 11.2 million users. This information is reported by TechCrunch.
OpenAI publishes this data in accordance with the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA), which governs the operations of large online platforms in Europe. Under this law, services with more than 45 million active users monthly must enable opt-outs from recommendation algorithms, provide specific data access to researchers and authorities, and undergo external audits. If the current growth rate continues, ChatGPT Search may be subject to these requirements.
Violating DSA regulations could lead to fines of up to 6% of the company's global revenue or even a temporary ban on operations within the EU.
Despite its rapid growth, ChatGPT Search is still far from competing with the market leader — Google. Estimates suggest that Google processes search queries hundreds of times more than ChatGPT. Surveys indicate that only 8% of users are willing to adopt ChatGPT as their primary search engine.
ChatGPT Search also has its shortcomings — particularly regarding accuracy. Research shows it often makes mistakes when searching for articles or processing news, even when it has access to licensed sources.