From tomorrow, EU chatbots must say they're AI — and deepfakes must be labeled
On August 2 the EU AI Act's Article 50 transparency rules become enforceable: chatbots must disclose they are AI, synthetic images, audio and video must carry machine-readable markings, deepfakes and AI-generated text on public-interest topics must be labeled, and emotion recognition must be disclosed. Violations carry fines up to €15 million or 3% of global turnover. The Commission's enforcement toolkit against general-purpose AI providers — information requests, model access, recalls — also activates. High-risk system rules remain postponed to late 2027 and 2028 under the Digital Omnibus.
Why it mattersThis is the first piece of the AI Act that ordinary users will actually see: labels in products they use daily. Any company serving EU users — including non-European ones — has to comply from tomorrow.
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