On 2 August 2026, the European Commission's AI Office, together with national authorities, began enforcing the Artificial Intelligence Act, including new transparency requirements that oblige certain AI systems to inform users when they are interacting with AI and when content has been AI-generated or altered. The measures, announced in a press release dated 31 July 2026, require chatbots to disclose their non-human nature, mandate labelling of deepfakes, and demand machine-readable marks on AI-generated content to facilitate detection. The Commission also published a first list of over 180 organisations that have signed the Code of Practice on transparency of AI-generated content, operationalising the new rules. The enforcement aims to reduce deception and manipulation, help people make informed choices, and provide businesses with clearer compliance obligations. Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy Henna Virkkunen emphasised that the AI Act establishes a risk-based framework for trustworthy AI, giving innovators legal certainty while protecting the public interest. The AI Office now has authority to enforce rules for providers of general-purpose AI (GPAI) models, including the most advanced models posing systemic risks, which must meet additional obligations to address risks of large-scale harm, such as chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear incidents, loss of control, cyber offence, harmful manipulation, and threats to fundamental rights. All GPAI providers must document information for authorities and downstream providers, implement a copyright policy, and publish a detailed summary of training content. Enforcement also covers prohibited AI practices, including systems that manipulate people, exploit vulnerabilities, or unfairly score individuals. Responsibility is shared: the AI Office handles systems offered by the same provider as the underlying GPAI model and those integrated into very large online platforms designated under the Digital Services Act; national authorities enforce rules for other systems; and the European Data Protection Supervisor oversees AI used by EU institutions. Effective enforcement depends on member states designating and resourcing national authorities. The AI Office will be supported by the Scientific Panel, a 60-member expert advisory body that recently held its first meeting, and by Professor Alessandro Abate of the University of Oxford, appointed as Lead Scientific Adviser to support work on GPAI models, innovation, and model testing. To facilitate reporting, the AI Office launched a Complaint Tool for individuals and businesses to report alleged infringements, a Whistleblower Tool for secure reporting, and a dedicated channel for downstream providers to report violations by GPAI model providers. The AI Omnibus postponed application of rules on high-risk AI systems to 2 December 2027, and for those integrated into regulated products to 2 August 2028, while new prohibitions on AI-generated non-consensual sexually explicit content and child sexual abuse material will apply from 2 December 2026. These developments mark a significant step in the EU's regulatory approach to AI, balancing innovation with consumer protection and fundamental rights. The enforcement creates new compliance burdens for AI providers, particularly GPAI developers, who must now document training data and implement copyright policies, while offering consumers greater transparency and protection from deceptive practices. National authorities face resource pressures to effectively enforce the rules, and businesses using AI systems must adapt to new labelling and disclosure requirements, potentially increasing operational costs but also enhancing trust and legal certainty in the EU market.
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