The EU will mandate digital watermarks on AI-generated content designed to appear authentic, starting August 2. These rules, part of the region's AI Act, apply to images, audio, and text, but exclude personal and clearly artistic or satirical works. The deadline applies to new AI systems, with existing ones receiving an additional four months to comply.

"It is a matter not only of customer protection, it’s also a matter of democracy protection," stated EU parliament member Sergey Lagodinsky, emphasizing the importance for preserving democracy and online authenticity. Failure to comply can result in fines of up to three percent of a company's gross revenue.

While the EU offers standardized labels, organizations can create their own. Some industry representatives suggest consumers might be surprised by the prevalence of these labels in areas like advertising and publishing, where AI use is already widespread but often undisclosed. Companies like TikTok and Meta have existing policies for labeling AI content, though enforcement can be inconsistent.