UX

New European Union guidance on labeling AI content

Vitaly Friedman unpacks rules that have caused a lot of confusion: the obligations are narrower and more sensible than reported, but since August 2, 2026, labeling AI content is a legal requirement for anyone serving European Union citizens. The piece separates the cases where a label is mandatory from those where it is not, explains why a sparkle icon in the interface is not enough, and sets out what the rules concretely require of a product with AI features. It bears directly on any client site with generated content or an assistant to talk to.