EU AI Act: New Guidelines for Labelling AI Content from August
The European Commission has detailed the specifics for how AI-generated content must be labelled under the AI Act. The guidelines, which come into force in August, aim to increase transparency regarding machine-created works.
What happened?
The European Commission has adopted detailed guidelines for labelling AI-generated content under Article 50 of the EU AI Act. Starting in August, AI system operators must inform users if they are interacting with an AI. Furthermore, AI-generated content that could potentially be perceived as real—such as images, text, and video—must be labelled in a machine-readable format using both watermarks and metadata. Exemptions apply to artistic, fictional, and satirical content, as well as when human approval and editorial responsibility are present.
Key facts
| Ikraftträdande | Augusti 2024 |
|---|---|
| Regelverk | Artikel 50, EU AI Act |
| Märkningsmetoder | Vattenstämpling & signerad metadata |
| Undantag | Konstnärligt, fiktivt, satirisk innehåll, mänskligt godkännande |
”Under the EU's Artificial Intelligence Act, operators of AI systems must disclose when content is AI-generated – at least in principle. The EU Commission has now decided how this will work in detail.”
”The marking and detection obligations, which have now been adopted, include a two-tiered approach: AI generation must be embedded both with watermarking within the actual content and in signed metadata, except for pure texts.”
Why it matters
These new guidelines are crucial for implementing the transparency principle central to the EU AI Act. By clarifying how AI-generated content should be labelled, the EU is helping to create a clearer distinction between human and machine-created works. This is important for enabling users to make informed choices and understand the source of the information they consume.
Who is affected?
The guidelines primarily affect developers and operators of AI systems operating within the EU, as they must adapt their products and services to meet the new labelling requirements. EU citizens are also affected, as they will encounter clearer identification of AI-generated content in their daily digital interactions. This includes both consumers of digital content and those interacting with AI assistants.
Impact on the EU
The guidelines are a direct implementation of the EU AI Act, which is a pioneering regulatory framework for artificial intelligence with global impact. All operators of AI systems targeting or operating within the EU must comply with these rules, regardless of their geographical location.
What else you should know
The new guidelines specify a two-step approach for labelling: watermarking within the content and signed metadata, with exemptions for pure text formats.
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