EU AI Content Labeling Rules Start August 2

European Union transparency obligations for certain AI systems apply from 2 August 2026, the European Commission said in guidance on AI generated content. The rules require providers to tell people when they are directly interacting with an AI system and to add machine readable marks that help detect AI generated or manipulated content.

Deployers must inform people when they are exposed to emotion recognition tools, biometric categorisation tools, deepfakes, and text publications on public interest matters that lack human review or editorial control. The rules cover generative and interactive AI systems, including deepfakes.

Enforcement will be handled by national market surveillance authorities, the AI Office for systems under its supervision, and the European Data Protection Supervisor when EU institutions are providers or deployers. Providers and deployers can show compliance through the Code of Practice on Transparency of AI generated content or through equivalent measures for marking and labelling.