Brussels: The European Commission's AI Office, in collaboration with national authorities, is set to begin enforcing the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Act starting on 2 August 2026. Alongside this enforcement, new transparency rules will come into effect, requiring certain AI systems to inform users when they are interacting with AI and when content has been generated or altered by AI technology.
According to Cyprus News Agency, under the new regulations, AI-driven systems such as chatbots must clearly disclose to users that they are engaging with AI rather than a human. Additionally, content generated or altered by AI, including deepfakes, will need to carry labels and machine-readable marks to facilitate easy detection. These measures aim to curb deception and manipulation, enabling users to make informed decisions while providing businesses with clear obligations for compliance.
The introduction of these rules marks a significant step as AI becomes more integrated into daily life. The AI Act is designed to ensure AI's safe development, deployment, and usage, bolstering confidence in the technology among individuals and businesses across the EU. The Commission has also released a list of over 180 organizations that have signed the Code of Practice on transparency of AI-generated content, operationalizing the new transparency rules.