EU member states move toward coordinated talks on deepfakes as a security risk
EU governments are preparing formal discussions on the risks posed by AI-generated deepfakes, signalling a shift toward treating synthetic media as a matter of cybersecurity and democratic resilience rather than only content regulation.
EU member states are preparing to open structured discussions on the risks associated with AI-powered deepfakes, following an initiative by the current presidency of the Council of the European Union. The talks are expected to focus on how synthetic media can be used in cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns, and broader efforts to undermine democratic processes and public trust across the EU.
According to sources, capitals will begin with expert-level exchanges examining deepfakes as a cross-cutting threat that combines elements of cybersecurity, information manipulation, and influence operations. These discussions are intended to assess whether existing EU cyber and media frameworks are sufficient to respond to rapidly advancing AI-generated content.
A document seen by Euractiv also sets out the timeline for upcoming discussions on the proposed Democracy Shield, a framework aimed at strengthening EU resilience against foreign interference and digitally enabled manipulation. The presidency’s plan foresees a phased approach, starting with technical consultations among national experts before escalating the issue to political discussions at ministerial level.
Deepfakes are increasingly viewed by member states as more than a content moderation challenge. Advances in generative AI have made synthetic audio, video, and images easier to produce and harder to detect, raising concerns about election integrity, institutional credibility, and public trust.
