EU classifies ChatGPT as a search engine alongside Google and Bing
On August 31, 2026, the European Commission designated ChatGPT a Very Large Online Search Engine under the Digital Services Act, placing it in the same legal category as Google and Bing. ChatGPT and Reddit were designated simultaneously. ChatGPT is the first AI chatbot to receive the search engine classification and now has four months to comply with the additional DSA requirements.
The scale context: OpenAI reported ChatGPT had surpassed one billion weekly active users globally in August 2026.
Why traditional SEO does not cover this
Traditional SEO targets a ranked list of links on a results page. AI platforms work differently: they return a synthesised recommendation assembled from cited sources before a shopper visits any brand or retailer site. A brand that ranks well in traditional search is not automatically visible in AI-generated answers.
According to citation analysis by Azoma covering millions of shopping agent citations (Q2 2026), no two agents cite the same source mix:
- ChatGPT: 41% earned media, 37% retailer
- Gemini: 41% retailer, 37% earned media
- Walmart Sparky: 36% earned media, 30% brand.com, 27% retailer
- Alexa for Shopping: 73% affiliate, 16% earned media
The implication, per Azoma’s analysis: there is no single GEO strategy that works across all agents. Each platform trusts different source types, so optimising for one does not automatically carry over to the others.
What GEO tools should cover
Azoma, the platform that published the citation analysis, outlines five capabilities brands should look for when evaluating AI SEO or GEO tools: prompt-level visibility tracking across multiple AI agents, citation-source analysis showing which sources each agent cites in a brand’s category, competitive benchmarking, content and product-data optimisation workflows, and the ability to act on findings rather than just report them.
Azoma’s CEO Max Sinclair framed it this way in the release:
“The EU just classified ChatGPT as a search engine, alongside Google and Bing. That makes official what brands have been seeing for months: AI platforms are where a growing share of product discovery now happens. The challenge is that every AI agent cites different sources, so there is no one-size-fits-all strategy. You need to know what each agent trusts in your category and earn your way into it.”
The operator takeaway
If you run an e-commerce brand or manage search traffic for a client, the EU ruling is a regulatory confirmation of a shift that has already been happening in practice. Product discovery is increasingly happening inside AI-generated answers, and each agent has its own citation preferences. A single spot-check of your brand’s visibility across one AI platform tells you almost nothing about your standing on the others.
I’m founder of BizStack at Cagri Sarigoz LLC and a passionate advocate for entrepreneurs.
With over 14 years in tech, marketing, and AI, including my role as Head of SEO at CitizenShipper and co-founder of TaleBot at Intale AI, I’m dedicated to sharing genuine, useful product insights and tips.
At BizStack, I aim to cut through the digital noise to provide clear, actionable advice.
And more than all else, I’m a father to a (always) little girl and a husband.
Contact me at [email protected] for assistance.
