As of August 2, 2026, new rules come into force across the European Union. They will change the way every business with a website, chatbot, or social media profile communicates with its customers.
If you use artificial intelligence anywhere in your brand’s digital presence, this article is for you.
What exactly is changing?
The rules come from Article 50 of the EU Artificial Intelligence Act, and their goal is simple: people should know when they are viewing content created or modified by AI.
Three things are coming into effect:
Chatbots must identify themselves - If you have an AI chatbot on your website, it must clearly tell users that they are talking to artificial intelligence rather than a member of your team.
Deepfake content must be labeled - Images, videos, or audio that have been manipulated or generated using AI and appear realistic must carry a visible label.
AI-generated content gets a “watermark” - All AI tools must embed a machine-readable marker in the content their systems generate.
Who is responsible, and how much does non-compliance cost?
The regulation distinguishes between “providers” (those who develop and place an AI system on the market) and “deployers” (businesses that use it in their operations).
And what happens if you don’t comply? Fines can reach up to €15 million or 3% of the company’s total worldwide annual turnover, while for EU institutions, penalties can reach up to €750,000.
What should you do?
Transparency is a way to build trust with your audience - something that is worth doing even without regulation.
If you’re not sure where to start, or you’d like a team to review your digital presence with both design and the new requirements in mind, get in touch with us.
