Starting August 2, 2026, additional provisions of the EU AI Act will take effect that are also relevant to you as a creator, coach, and online entrepreneur.
If you
- Use AI tools for your content, or
- uses a chatbot or automated AI responses to customer inquiries,
This is an issue that already affects you.
The labeling requirement applies to relevant content that as of August 2, 2026
- published or
- be significantly changed.
That's why you should familiarize yourself with the transparency requirement now and
- Mark any content that you are already creating or having created for the period starting August 2, and
- Check whether you should amend contracts with external service providers or agencies.
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The AI Regulation
The AI Regulation (EU AI Act) has been in effect since 2024; it is being implemented in phases and contains various provisions, not limited to the labeling of AI-generated content.
Starting August 2, 2026, the transparency requirements set forth in Article 50 will become mandatory; these requirements specify when you must label AI-generated content or AI-generated communications.
The goal behind this is simple: to enable people to recognize when they are interacting with AI-generated content or AI systems, in order to prevent deception.
Key provisions of the AI Regulation regarding transparency requirements:
Texts
No. 50, Paragraph 4 of the AI Regulation: “Any person who uses an AI system that generates or manipulates text, which is published for the purpose of informing the public about matters of public interest, must disclose that the text was artificially generated or manipulated.”
Good news for your sales, marketing, and product copy and content:
Labeling is generally not required here, except
- The texts are of so-called “public interest” and
- were created entirely by AI, without any human review or editing.
Images, Audio, and Videos
No. 50, Paragraph 4 of the AI Regulation: “Anyone who uses an AI system that generates or manipulates image, audio, or video content that constitutes a deepfake must disclose that the content was artificially generated or manipulated.”
What is a deepfake?
This addresses Article 3, No. 60 of the AI Regulation: “AI-generated or manipulated image, audio, or video content that resembles existing persons, objects, places, facilities, or events and wouldfalsely appearto a person to be authentic or truthful.”
In this case, the image, audio file, and video must be labeled accordingly.
Examples of items subject to labeling requirements:
- an AI-generated photo or video featuring a recognizably real, identifiable person
- An AI-generated video for a course that shows a realistic-looking workshop room with participants who have never been there
- a photo of yourself that has been edited to show you in a place or situation that never actually happened
- a promotional video featuring an AI avatar that looks or sounds like you
- a video in which your original has been translated into another language using AI lip-syncing
- a cloned version of your voice, e.g., for course videos or podcast intros
- a video that you recorded yourself, but in which your voice has been replaced by an AI voice
- an AI voice that mimics the voice of a real, recognizable person
When it comes to labeling, a distinction is made between
- "AI-GENERATED" for content produced entirely by AI and
- "AI-EDITED" for content in which real footage has been altered using AI—for example, through lip-syncing or voice cloning.
Examples of images and videos that are not subject to labeling requirements:
Images or videos that are clearly stylized AI illustrations, such as
- Comics (are not recognizable as real)
- your logo (which usually does not depict a real scene)
- Fantasy elements and unrealistic scenes (flying cats, talking vegetables)
- content that is clearly recognizable as an artistic representation
that no one believes are real photos or videos.
Where and how should the labeling be done?
You should include the credit directly in the file (that is, on the image and at the beginning of your video). Text on the page where the file is embedded, or a caption, is likely not sufficient.
In addition, images must include an AI label in the alt text so that people with visual impairments can also recognize this (Accessibility Enhancement Act).
Is it enough, for example, to select the AI label on YouTube?
YouTube, Instagram, and other platforms are introducing their own “AI-generated” labels. That sounds convenient, but it’s not a sufficient substitute.
As soon as someone downloads or shares your image, audio file, or video or takes it out of its original context, both the platform label and your caption are gone.
All that remains is what is directly embedded in the image, audio file, or video.
Chatbots and AI Interactions
No. 50, Paragraph 1 of the AI Regulation: “Providers shall ensure that AI systems intended for direct interaction with natural persons are designed and developed in such a way that the natural persons concerned are informed that they are interacting with an AI system, unless this is obvious from the perspective of a natural person who, taking into account the circumstances and the context of use, is reasonably informed, attentive, and prudent.”
So, if you offer your customers an AI-powered chat, or if they receive anautomated response to their question—generated entirely by AI— after sending you an email, you must make it clear at the start of the interaction that they are interacting with an AI system.
Even though the law refers to “providers” here: If you use a ready-made chatbot tool from a third-party provider, you, as the operator, are responsible for ensuring that the notice is displayed.
What are the consequences of violations?
Violations of the labeling requirements set forth in Article 50 may be punishable by fines of up to 15 million euros or 3% of global annual revenue—whichever amount is higher. For most creators and providers, the absolute figure is, of course, unrealistic, but the principle is clear: The EU takes this seriously, and ignorance is no defense against the consequences.
What should you do now?
Review the AI systems you use and adapt your content production process
Take a look at which AI tools you use and how you use them, and
- Determine which content is being newly created or significantly modified by you or external service providers, and whether it needs to be labeled.
- Incorporate labeling directly into your production processes—not as an afterthought, but as a standard step. And if you ’re currently working on a launch that goes live after August 2: Now is the right time to factor this in.
- Check whether you're using a chatbot or automated AI responses, and label it accordingly.
If anything is unclear or if you want legal certainty, we recommend that you seek legal advice.
Contracts with Freelancers / Agencies / External Service Providers
One point that’s often overlooked in everyday life: If you hire copywriters, video agencies, or other service providers who use AI, you should check now how this is addressed in your contracts. Who is liable if an AI-generated video is posted online without the required disclosure? Who is responsible if an AI-written article isn’t labeled as such?
It is worth amending existing contracts to include clear provisions on AI use, labeling requirements, and responsibilities before a specific problem arises.
The concern that labeling will reduce reach or revenue is understandable.
But people don't buy because of the illusion of perfection. It's about you and what you stand for. Transparency doesn't erode trust; it's the beginning of genuine trust.
