Article 50: transparency
Specific disclosure, marking and labelling duties for certain AI systems and synthetic content.
The official source remains authoritative. This general interpretation is not legal advice.
- Status
- Applicable
- Application date
- 2 August 2026
- Version
- 1.0.0
- Last reviewed
- 8 August 2026
Who this is relevant to
When this applies
Deployer
An organisation using an AI system under its authority, excluding personal non-professional use.
Provider of an AI system
A party that develops or has an AI system developed and places it on the market under its own name.
- 1An AI system is intended to interact directly with natural persons.
- 2The system generates or manipulates synthetic audio, image, video or text, or the use concerns a specifically listed deployer scenario.
What the official source establishes
Article 50 applies since 2 August 2026. The precise duty differs by scenario: direct AI interaction, machine-readable marking, emotion recognition or biometric categorisation, deepfakes and certain public-interest text.
Our interpretation
A generic rule that all AI content must always carry a visible label is too broad. First classify the specific Article 50 scenario.
What you can do now
For each system, record the applicable paragraph, responsible actor, implemented disclosure or marking and how it was tested.
- 01
Implement the applicable disclosure, marking or label
First determine which paragraph of Article 50 applies, then implement the specific transparency measure.
What to retain
Transparency implementation record
Record of scenario, actor, disclosure or marking, technical implementation, test and owner.
Control and reassessment
Pre-release transparency check
Before release, test that the applicable disclosure, marking or label is timely, clear and technically effective.
Public tools
Article 50 checklist
Public decision route for the distinct transparency obligations.
Conditions and exceptions
- The direct-interaction disclosure is not required where this is obvious to a reasonably well-informed, observant and circumspect person, considering circumstances and context.
- Only Article 50(2) has a transition until 2 December 2026 for systems placed on the market before 2 August 2026.
Official sources and locators
EU Artificial Intelligence Act 2024/1689
European Parliament and Council | original-oj-2024-07-12
Source locator: Article 50(1)-(5) and Article 113
Guidelines on Article 50
European Commission | final-2026-07-20
Source locator: Final guidelines, scope by Article 50 paragraph
Guidelines on Article 50
European Commission | final-2026-07-20
Source locator: Implementation guidance for providers and deployers
Version history
v1.0.0
2 August 2026
Article 50: transparency
Specific disclosure, marking and labelling duties for certain AI systems and synthetic content.
For AI agents and integrations
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