EU AI Act transparency obligations take effect on 2 August
New transparency obligations under the EU AI Act will begin applying on 2 August 2026, requiring providers and deployers of certain AI systems to disclose AI interactions, synthetic content, emotion recognition, biometric categorisation and deepfakes.
Transparency requirements under Article 50 of the EU AI Act will start applying on 2 August 2026, introducing new disclosure obligations for providers and deployers of certain AI systems.
The rules require AI systems that interact directly with users to clearly disclose that users are communicating with AI. Providers of systems generating or manipulating text, images, audio or video must also ensure AI-generated content is identifiable, while deployers of deepfakes and certain AI-generated public-interest content will be required to provide appropriate disclosures.
The European Commission has also published implementation guidelines and a voluntary code of practice to support organisations in meeting the new obligations.
Why does it matter?
The transparency rules are among the first substantive obligations under the EU AI Act to become applicable. They aim to help people recognise when they are interacting with AI or viewing AI-generated content, supporting greater transparency and reducing the risk of deception.
