Starting August 2, AI must introduce itself before speaking
On August 2 2026, the European Artificial Intelligence Regulation will enforce transparency requirements. Under the EU AI Act article 50, many of the AI systems used on a daily basis will have to “introduce themselves” before beginning to interact.
The Artificial Intelligence Regulation is the world’s first regulation to comprehensively govern AI, setting concrete obligations for both developers and users. It took effect in August 2024, but its requirements are being phased in, depending on each system’s risk level.
What changes on August 2?
Here are some of the changes that will take effect and the requirements that AI systems must meet:
- Chatbots must be identified as AI, unless this is already evident from the context
- AI-generated content must be labelled as machine-generated
- Deepfakes must be clearly labelled
- AI-generated news must be identified as such, unless it has been reviewed by a human with actual editorial responsibility
On the other hand, several provisions of the regulation have been delayed. In June, the European Union approved the so-called Digital Omnibus, which postpones some of the most stringent requirements. High-risk systems, such as recruitment, education, biometrics and critical infrastructure, are deferred until December 2027, and another group of integrated systems is deferred until August 2028.
Prohibitions on unacceptable practices have been in effect since February 2025. Some examples include social scoring, subliminal manipulation and emotion recognition in the workplace. The remaining topics mentioned have been postponed, allowing time for adaptation.
For those studying generative AI, this is an important point, as they will be the ones building, using and explaining these tools in the job market. Understanding the AI Act is key to using AI responsibly, a skill that will be increasingly in demand in the workplace. Those who work on integrating chatbots, generating content with AI or automating processes will need to know these rules inside and out; otherwise, they could be breaking the law.
