New European Union rules requiring AI-generated content and deepfakes to be clearly labelled officially came into force yesterday, marking another major step in the bloc’s regulation of artificial intelligence.Under the latest transparency requirements of the EU AI Act, companies creating or using AI-generated content must make it clear when images, videos, audio or text have been created using artificial intelligence.The rules also require organisations to inform users when they are interacting with AI systems such as chatbots, or when they are exposed to deepfakes, emotion recognition or biometric categorisation tools, and AI-generated text about matters of public interest that has not been reviewed by a human editor.The aim is to help people distinguish authentic content from AI-generated material as artificial intelligence becomes increasingly capable of creating realistic images, videos and voices.Companies are expected to use methods such as watermarks or other digital markers to make AI-generated content easier to identify. Businesses that fail to comply could face substantial fines under the EU AI Act.The requirements mainly apply to professional and commercial use of AI, with exemptions for content created purely for personal use, as well as artistic, satirical and fictional works.Major tech companies including Meta, TikTok and Google have already begun introducing AI labels and digital watermarking tools ahead of the new rules.While the transparency obligations are now in force, existing AI systems have until 2nd December 2026 to fully comply with the legislation.What do you make of this?•