European Commission begins enforcing AI Act with new transparency requirements

Original title: Commission starts enforcing AI Act rules and new transparency requirements on 2 August

From 2 August 2026, the European Commission's AI Office and national authorities will start enforcing the AI Act and applying new transparency rules. AI system providers must disclose when users interact with AI, chatbots must identify themselves as non-human, deepfakes must be labelled, and AI-generated or altered content must carry machine-readable marks. These measures aim to reduce deception and manipulation while providing businesses with clearer compliance obligations and practical ways to demonstrate adherence to the rules.

What changed

• AI system providers and chatbots are now required to disclose when users are interacting with AI systems rather than humans, with interactive AI systems specifically required to inform users they are dealing with artificial intelligence.
• Deepfakes—images, videos, or audio that have been edited or generated using AI—must be labelled to inform users of their artificial nature.
• AI-generated or altered content must carry machine-readable marks to enable easier detection and verification of AI involvement in content creation or modification.
• The EU Commission published a list of more than 180 organisations that have signed the Code of Practice on transparency of AI-generated content, providing early adopters and compliant entities public recognition.

Who is affected

All AI system providers, companies offering chatbots and interactive AI systems, content creators using AI-generated or altered content, and organisations operating within the EU jurisdiction subject to AI Act rules.