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EU finalises code of practice on marking and labelling AI-generated content
The final voluntary code supporting Article 50 of the AI Act commits generative AI providers to machine-readable marking and detectability of synthetic audio, images, video and text, and commits deployers to label deepfakes and AI-written text on matters of public interest that lacks human editorial review. The Commission and AI Board confirmed it as an adequate tool to show compliance, and about 190 organisations had signed by the end of July, ahead of Article 50 applying on 2 August 2026.
Why it matters
Signing is the simplest way for model providers and publishers to evidence compliance with EU labelling duties now in force.
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Directly linked
Connections our researchers recorded
- DevelopmentOpenAI starts watermarking ChatGPT and Codex text in the EU to meet AI Act rules5 Oct 2026 · Launch · EUPut into practice by: Applies the EU's code on marking AI-generated content to ChatGPT text
- DevelopmentChina's mandatory labelling rules for AI-generated content take effect1 Sep 2025 · Rule change · CNContrasts with: The EU uses a voluntary code to meet a legal duty; China imposed binding labelling measures directly.
What led here
Earlier developments on the same thread
- DevelopmentEU deal keeps AI medical devices under AI Act high-risk rules, delayed to 20287 May 2026 · Rule change · EU
- DevelopmentOfcom opens Online Safety Act probe into X over Grok sexualised deepfakes12 Jan 2026 · Enforcement or ruling · GB, EU
- DevelopmentEU publishes General-Purpose AI Code of Practice ahead of AI Act model duties10 Jul 2025 · Rule change · EU
- DevelopmentEU White Paper on defence lists AI and drones among priority capability gaps19 Mar 2025 · Policy · EU
What happened next
Later developments on the same thread
- DevelopmentEU pushes AI Act duties for hiring and workplace AI back to December 20278 Jul 2026 · Rule change · EU
- DevelopmentEU Digital Omnibus on AI enters force, delaying high-risk AI Act duties to 2027-2827 Jul 2026 · Rule change · EU
- DevelopmentEU AI Office gains powers to enforce AI Act rules on general-purpose models2 Aug 2026 · Rule change · EU
- DevelopmentGoogle DeepMind publishes SynthID Bio watermarking for AI-designed proteins in Nature30 Sep 2026 · Research · GB, US
Same story elsewhere
What other countries and bodies did on this
- DevelopmentSouth Korea's AI Basic Act takes effect, with a one-year pause on fines22 Jan 2026 · Rule change · KR
- DevelopmentBrazil's electoral court sets AI rules for 2026 elections, incl. 72-hour deepfake ban2 Mar 2026 · Rule change · BR
- DevelopmentIndia notifies IT Rules amendment mandating deepfake labels and 3-hour takedowns10 Feb 2026 · Rule change · IN
- DevelopmentSAG-AFTRA ratifies four-year studio deal restricting synthetic performers4 Jun 2026 · Deal · US
Rules in play
Laws and guidance this touches
- RuleEU AI ActEU · Partly in force · 13 Jun 2024
- RuleAI content marking and labelling codeEU · In force · 10 Jun 2026
- RuleArticle 50 transparency guidelinesEU · In force · 20 Jul 2026
- RuleDigital Omnibus on AIEU · In force · 8 Jul 2026
- RuleIT Rules SGI/deepfake amendmentIN · In force · 10 Feb 2026
Threads by topic: Labelling AI content Deepfakes Standards and codes