The European Commission this week published new guidelines to help artificial intelligence (AI) providers and users comply with transparency requirements under the EU’s AI Act, with the rules set to take effect on August 2, 2026.
The guidelines aim to help people identify when they are interacting with AI systems or viewing content created or altered by AI, as regulators seek to reduce the risks of deception and manipulation.
The commission said the guidance clarifies which AI providers and deployers must comply with transparency obligations covering interactive AI systems and the marking and labelling of AI-generated content.
Under the AI Act, providers will be required to design systems that inform users when they are directly communicating with artificial intelligence.
They will also have to add machine-readable marks to allow AI-generated or manipulated content to be detected.
Deployers of AI systems will also face new obligations, including informing users when they encounter deepfakes, AI-generated content relating to matters of public interest that has not undergone human review or editorial control, and systems used for emotion recognition or biometric categorisation.
The commission said the guidelines explain key concepts, provide exemptions and include practical examples to help organisations understand how the rules apply.
The guidance covers directly interactive AI systems, such as chatbots, as well as synthetic content, including text that is partly or entirely generated by AI.
It also explains requirements relating to deepfakes and AI-generated text dealing with matters of public interest.
The commission included examples of situations where exemptions may apply, such as standard editing functions including spelling and grammar corrections.
The guidelines also explain how organisations can demonstrate compliance with the AI Act’s transparency obligations.
The commission said following a recognised code of practice would provide legal certainty and offer providers and deployers a practical way to show that they meet the requirements.
The new guidance complements the Code of Practice on Transparency of AI-generated Content, which was developed by independent experts with contributions from hundreds of stakeholders.
The commission and the AI Board confirmed that the voluntary code provides an appropriate method for AI providers and deployers to demonstrate compliance with the AI Act.
The commission is also developing additional tools to help organisations understand their obligations under the legislation.
These include further guidelines, the Code of Practice and the AI Act Service Desk, an information hub designed to provide updated and accessible guidance on the new rules.
The majority of the AI Act’s provisions will begin applying on August 2, 2026, including enforcement powers for the Commission and national market surveillance authorities.
AI systems placed on the market before August will have to comply with obligations relating to marking and detection from December 2, 2026.
