PricingLog in

What Article 50 requires.

Short answer

Article 50 of the EU AI Act requires providers of generative AI systems to mark their outputs in a machine-readable format, detectable as artificially generated or manipulated (50(2)), and deployers to disclose deep fakes and AI-generated text published to inform the public (50(4)). It also requires that people are told when they interact with an AI system (50(1)). It applies from 2 August 2026; providers whose systems were on the market before that date have until 2 December 2026 for 50(2).

Official sources: AI Act, Articles 50 and 113 (EUR-Lex) · Regulation (EU) 2026/1744, Article 111(4) (EUR-Lex)

Paragraph by paragraph

  • 50(1) — Systems intended to interact directly with people must be designed so the people are informed they are interacting with an AI system, unless obvious.
  • 50(2) — Providers of systems generating synthetic audio, image, video or text must mark outputs in a machine-readable format, detectable as artificially generated or manipulated.
  • 50(3) — Deployers of emotion recognition or biometric categorisation systems must inform the people exposed.
  • 50(4) — Deployers must disclose deep fakes, and AI-generated text published to inform the public on matters of public interest (unless human-reviewed under editorial responsibility).
  • 50(5) — The information must be clear and distinguishable, at the latest at first interaction or exposure, and meet accessibility requirements.
  • 50(7) — Codes of practice support implementation. Regulation (EU) 2026/1744 replaced this paragraph: the Commission, not the AI Office, encourages and facilitates them, and assesses whether adherence is adequate for paragraphs 2 and 4.

When it applies

The AI Act applies from 2 August 2026 (Article 113). For providers whose generative systems were placed on the market before that date, Article 111(4) allows until 2 December 2026 to comply with Article 50(2). See the live countdown.

Penalties

Article 99(4)(g) covers “transparency obligations for providers and deployers pursuant to Article 50”: administrative fines of up to EUR 15 000 000 or, for an undertaking, up to 3 % of total worldwide annual turnover, whichever is higher. For SMEs, including start-ups, the lower of the two applies (Article 99(6)); Regulation (EU) 2026/1744 extended that to small mid-cap enterprises (Article 99(6a)).

Each paragraph in detail

This summary is not legal advice and the official text controls. Proofcan produces C2PA Content Credentials and watermarks; it does not guarantee that any use complies with the AI Act.

Questions

What does Article 50(2) require?
Providers of AI systems, including general-purpose AI systems, generating synthetic audio, image, video or text content shall ensure that the outputs are marked in a machine-readable format and detectable as artificially generated or manipulated, with technical solutions that are effective, interoperable, robust and reliable as far as technically feasible.
Does Article 50(2) always apply?
No. It does not apply to the extent the AI systems perform an assistive function for standard editing or do not substantially alter the input data provided by the deployer or its semantics, or where authorised by law to detect, prevent, investigate or prosecute criminal offences.
What do deployers have to do?
Under Article 50(4), deployers of an AI system that generates or manipulates image, audio or video content constituting a deep fake shall disclose that the content has been artificially generated or manipulated. For evidently artistic, creative, satirical or fictional works the duty is limited to disclosing the existence of such content in a way that does not hamper the display or enjoyment of the work.
Is there a code of practice?
Yes. The European Commission published a Code of Practice on Transparency of AI-generated Content; its page gives 10 June 2026 for the final code and says adherence is voluntary while the Article 50 requirements are legal obligations.

Sources

Page reviewed . Proofcan is a technical tool, not legal advice, and does not guarantee compliance.