EU AI Act Article 50 (Art. 50): Full Text & Plain-English Explanation
Last updated:
EU AI Act Article 50 is the transparency article: people must be told when they interact with an AI system, providers must machine-mark AI-generated content, and deployers must disclose deep fakes and AI-written public-interest text. It has applied since 2 August 2026. The free Article50.io scan loads one public page in a real browser and shows the most severe finding.
What is Article 50 of the EU AI Act?
Article 50 of the EU AI Act (Art. 50) is the transparency article. This page quotes each of its seven paragraphs in full, explains it in plain English and says what it means for a website.
Not to be confused with Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union, the article used for Brexit.
EU AI Act transparency obligations
The EU AI Act's transparency obligations are the duties in Article 50. Each one falls on either the provider that builds the AI system or the deployer that uses it. The duties at a glance sums them up, and the sections after it quote and explain each paragraph.
The duties at a glance
| Paragraph | Who it applies to | What it requires |
|---|---|---|
| 50(1) | Providers of AI systems that interact with people (chatbots, voice agents, avatars) | Design the system so people are told they are interacting with AI, unless it is obvious |
| 50(2) | Providers of AI that generates audio, images, video or text | Mark outputs in a machine-readable format so they are detectable as AI-generated |
| 50(3) | Deployers of emotion recognition or biometric categorisation | Inform the people exposed to it |
| 50(4) | Deployers who publish deep fakes or AI-written text on matters of public interest | Disclose that the content is AI-generated or manipulated |
| 50(5) | Everyone above | Give the information clearly and distinguishably, at the latest at first interaction or exposure, and accessibly |
A provider builds or supplies the AI system. A deployer is the business using it. If you embed a vendor's chatbot on your site, the main 50(1) duty sits with the provider, but what your visitors actually see is often in your hands, so check both.
Article 50(1): Chatbots, voice agents and AI avatars
1. Providers shall ensure that AI systems intended to interact directly with natural persons are designed and developed in such a way that the natural persons concerned are informed that they are interacting with an AI system, unless this is obvious from the point of view of a natural person who is reasonably well-informed, observant and circumspect, taking into account the circumstances and the context of use. This obligation shall not apply to AI systems authorised by law to detect, prevent, investigate or prosecute criminal offences, subject to appropriate safeguards for the rights and freedoms of third parties, unless those systems are available for the public to report a criminal offence.
In plain English
If an AI system talks to people, its provider must build it so those people are told they are dealing with an AI. The exception is when that is already obvious to a reasonably well-informed, observant and circumspect person in the circumstances. The Commission's guidelines, adopted on 5 November 2026 as C(2026) 7702 final and non-binding (paragraph 5), say a provider who relies on the exception must assess and demonstrate that obviousness (paragraph 42). A generic reference to an "assistant", used on its own, is not enough (paragraph 38). William Fry's analysis discusses the July 2026 draft. Systems authorised by law to fight crime are exempt, unless the public can use them to report a crime.
What this means for your website
A chatbot, voice agent or AI avatar on your site should say it is an AI where the conversation starts, for example "You're chatting with an AI assistant". A single prominent notice at the start is likely to be enough in most cases (guidelines paragraph 40). Longer or immersive interactions, sensitive advice, vulnerable users and AI companions may need periodic or context-aware reminders. There is no fixed interval, and this is not a new November obligation. The legal duty sits with the provider, but if you embed a vendor's widget, what your visitors see is often in your hands. See chatbot disclosure.
Scan your site against Article 50
Free, capped at 45 seconds, public pages only. Not legal advice; a clean result is not a compliance clearance.
Article 50(2): Machine-readable marking of AI-generated content
2. Providers of AI systems, including general-purpose AI systems, generating synthetic audio, image, video or text content, shall ensure that the outputs of the AI system are marked in a machine-readable format and detectable as artificially generated or manipulated. Providers shall ensure their technical solutions are effective, interoperable, robust and reliable as far as this is technically feasible, taking into account the specificities and limitations of various types of content, the costs of implementation and the generally acknowledged state of the art, as may be reflected in relevant technical standards. This obligation shall 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 the semantics thereof, or where authorised by law to detect, prevent, investigate or prosecute criminal offences.
In plain English
Providers of AI that generates audio, images, video or text must mark its outputs in a machine-readable format so they can be detected as AI-generated or manipulated. The technical solution must be effective, interoperable, robust and reliable as far as technically feasible. Assistive tools for standard editing, and tools that don't substantially alter the input, are exempt. The voluntary Code of Practice sets out practical ways to mark content.
Generative systems placed on the market before 2 August 2026 have until 2 December 2026 (Article 111(4)). See the 2 December deadline.
What this means for your website
This duty is on the tool that generates the content, not on the site that publishes it. If you publish AI images or text, check whether your tool marks its output, and don't strip that metadata when you edit or compress files. A machine-readable mark is not a visible label: visible disclosure is a 50(4) question.
Scan your site against Article 50
Free, capped at 45 seconds, public pages only. Not legal advice; a clean result is not a compliance clearance.
Article 50(3): Emotion recognition and biometric categorisation
3. Deployers of an emotion recognition system or a biometric categorisation system shall inform the natural persons exposed thereto of the operation of the system, and shall process the personal data in accordance with Regulations (EU) 2016/679 and (EU) 2018/1725 and Directive (EU) 2016/680, as applicable. This obligation shall not apply to AI systems used for biometric categorisation and emotion recognition, which are permitted by law to detect, prevent or investigate criminal offences, subject to appropriate safeguards for the rights and freedoms of third parties, and in accordance with Union law.
In plain English
If you deploy a system that recognises emotions or sorts people into categories from biometric data, you must tell the people exposed to it that it is operating, and handle their personal data under the GDPR and the other EU data protection rules named. Systems permitted by law to detect, prevent or investigate crime are exempt.
What this means for your website
Most websites don't do this. If yours reads emotions from a webcam, a voice or a video, tell visitors before it runs, in plain words, and cover it in your privacy notice. A public-page scan can't detect it.
Article 50(4): Deep fakes and AI-written public-interest text
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. This obligation shall not apply where the use is authorised by law to detect, prevent, investigate or prosecute criminal offence. Where the content forms part of an evidently artistic, creative, satirical, fictional or analogous work or programme, the transparency obligations set out in this paragraph are limited to disclosure of the existence of such generated or manipulated content in an appropriate manner that does not hamper the display or enjoyment of the work.
Deployers of an AI system that generates or manipulates text which is published with the purpose of informing the public on matters of public interest shall disclose that the text has been artificially generated or manipulated. This obligation shall not apply where the use is authorised by law to detect, prevent, investigate or prosecute criminal offences or where the AI-generated content has undergone a process of human review or editorial control and where a natural or legal person holds editorial responsibility for the publication of the content.
In plain English
If you publish AI-generated or manipulated image, audio or video content that is a deep fake, you must disclose that it is artificially generated or manipulated. For evidently artistic, creative, satirical, fictional or similar work, you only need to disclose that such content exists, in a way that doesn't hamper the display or enjoyment of the work.
If you publish AI-generated text to inform the public on matters of public interest, you must disclose that too, unless the text has been through human review or editorial control and someone holds editorial responsibility for it. Uses authorised by law to fight crime are exempt.
What this means for your website
A photorealistic AI image or video of a person, product, place or event is not automatically a deep fake. A visible disclosure is for content with appreciable resemblance that would falsely appear authentic in context (guidelines paragraphs 113–114). Photorealism alone is not enough. AI-written news or current-affairs text needs one unless an editor reviews it and takes responsibility. See deepfake disclosure and AI-generated content labelling.
Scan your site against Article 50
Free, capped at 45 seconds, public pages only. Not legal advice; a clean result is not a compliance clearance.
Article 50(5): How and when the information must be given
5. The information referred to in paragraphs 1 to 4 shall be provided to the natural persons concerned in a clear and distinguishable manner at the latest at the time of the first interaction or exposure. The information shall conform to the applicable accessibility requirements.
In plain English
Every disclosure under 50(1) to 50(4) must be clear and distinguishable, reach people at the latest at their first interaction with the system or first exposure to the content, and meet the applicable accessibility requirements.
What this means for your website
Put the disclosure where the visitor meets the AI, before or at the first message, not in your terms of service. Make it readable: enough contrast, a sensible size, and the visitor's language. The Act doesn't name a language; more in AI disclosure and language.
Article 50(6): Relationship with other rules
6. Paragraphs 1 to 4 shall not affect the requirements and obligations set out in Chapter III, and shall be without prejudice to other transparency obligations laid down in Union or national law for deployers of AI systems.
In plain English
Article 50 adds to, and doesn't replace, the high-risk AI rules in Chapter III or any other transparency duties for deployers under EU or national law.
What this means for your website
An Article 50 disclosure doesn't cover your other obligations, for example what the GDPR expects your privacy notice to say about AI that processes personal data. See the privacy policy AI clause.
Article 50(7): Codes of practice and implementing acts
7. The Commission shall encourage and facilitate the drawing up of codes of practice at Union level to facilitate the effective implementation of the obligations regarding the detection, marking and labelling of artificially generated or manipulated content. The Commission, taking utmost account of the opinion of the Board, shall assess whether adherence to those codes of practice is adequate to ensure compliance with the obligations laid down in paragraphs 2 and 4 of this Article, in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 56(6). If it deems the code of practice to be inadequate, the Commission may adopt an implementing act specifying common rules for the implementation of those obligations in accordance with the examination procedure laid down in Article 98(2).
In plain English
The Commission must encourage EU-level codes of practice on detecting, marking and labelling AI-generated content. It assesses whether following them is enough to meet 50(2) and 50(4), and if not, it can adopt an implementing act with common rules. This paragraph was amended by the Digital Omnibus on AI.
What this means for your website
There is nothing to do on your site under 50(7) itself. It explains why the voluntary Code of Practice matters. The Commission and the AI Board have since confirmed the Code as an adequate voluntary tool to demonstrate compliance; around 190 organisations had signed it by 31 July 2026 (Stephenson Harwood).
Key dates
- 10 June 2026: the Commission published the final Code of Practice on marking and labelling AI-generated content (press release IP/26/1328). The Commission and the AI Board have since confirmed the Code as an adequate voluntary tool to demonstrate compliance; around 190 organisations had signed it by 31 July 2026 (Stephenson Harwood).
- 20 July 2026: the Commission circulated a draft of the Article 50 guidelines for approval (C(2026) 5054 final). 5 November 2026: it adopted the guidelines as C(2026) 7702 final. They are non-binding (paragraph 5). Only the Court of Justice can interpret the Act authoritatively. Adoption did not change the Act.
- 2 August 2026: Article 50 applies (Article 113).
- 2 December 2026: end of the 50(2) transition period for systems placed on the market before 2 August 2026 (Article 111(4)).
Who enforces it, and the fines
Enforced by each Member State's national market surveillance authorities.
Under Article 99(4)(g), breaches of Article 50 can lead to fines of up to EUR 15 000 000 or, for an undertaking, up to 3% of total worldwide annual turnover for the preceding financial year, whichever is higher. For SMEs, including start-ups (Article 99(6)), and small mid-caps (Article 99(6a)), the lower of the two applies.
Does it apply outside the EU?
It can: the AI Act reaches providers and deployers outside the EU when their AI system's output is used in the EU. See Does Article 50 apply outside the EU? Country guides: Australia, New Zealand and the UK.
What a website scan can and can't check
A scan of your public website can check some of this: whether a chat, voice or avatar widget from a known vendor shows an AI disclosure, how clearly a disclosure it finds is presented, whether it is in the page's language, and whether images carry an AI marker with no visible label. It cannot see behind logins or consent banners, hear a voice call, see whether your outputs are machine-marked, or judge how you run your business. You can run a free scan, or read how the scan works in full. A clean result is not a compliance clearance, and this page is not legal advice.
Related guides and templates
Guides
Templates
Sources
- →EUR-Lex: Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 (AI Act), consolidated text as at 27 July 2026
- →European Commission AI Act Service Desk: Article 50 (EUR-Lex consolidated text as at 27 July 2026)
- →AI Act Service Desk: Article 99, Penalties
- →AI Act Service Desk: Article 111, transitional provisions
- →AI Act Service Desk: Article 113, entry into force and application
- →European Commission: Guidelines on transparency obligations, C(2026) 7702 final, 5 November 2026 (non-binding)
- →European Commission: final Code of Practice on marking and labelling AI-generated content (10 June 2026)
- →European Commission press release IP/26/1328: final Code of Practice (10 June 2026)
- →European Commission: Market surveillance authorities under the AI Act
- →William Fry: Time running out as AI transparency guidelines published
- →Stephenson Harwood: commentary citing Code of Practice signatories as of 31 July 2026 (not the adopted guidelines text)
- →William Fry: AI Act Articles 50(1) and 50(2) transparency obligations (analysis of the draft guidelines)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Article 50 of the EU AI Act?
It is the transparency article of the EU AI Act, often shortened to Article 50 AI Act. It requires people to be told when they interact with an AI system, AI-generated content to be marked in a machine-readable way, people exposed to emotion recognition or biometric categorisation to be informed, and deep fakes and AI-generated public-interest text to be disclosed.
When did Article 50 start to apply?
On 2 August 2026, the AI Act's general date of application under Article 113. Providers of generative AI systems placed on the market before that date have until 2 December 2026 for the machine-readable marking duty in Article 50(2), under Article 111(4), inserted by the Digital Omnibus on AI.
Does my website chatbot need an AI disclosure?
Usually, yes. Article 50(1) requires that people are informed they are interacting with an AI system, unless that is obvious to a reasonably well-informed, observant and circumspect person in the circumstances. The duty sits with the provider, but the visitor sees whatever your site shows.
When and how must the information be given?
Article 50(5) says it must be given in a clear and distinguishable manner, at the latest at the time of the first interaction or exposure, and must conform to the applicable accessibility requirements.
What are the fines for breaching Article 50?
Under Article 99(4)(g), up to EUR 15 000 000 or, for an undertaking, up to 3% of total worldwide annual turnover for the preceding financial year, whichever is higher. For SMEs, including start-ups (Article 99(6)), and for small mid-caps (Article 99(6a)), the cap is whichever of the two is lower.
Check your site automatically
Article50.io is an automated scanner for the Article 50 transparency rules of the EU AI Act. It scans a website for potential Article 50 transparency gaps and generates a report of what the scan found and what it could not check, with remediation guidance, implementation instructions and disclosure wording you can paste in.
The free scan shows your single most severe finding. Scans are capped at 45 seconds — no signup, public pages only.
Related Article 50 resources
- Art. 50(1)Does Your Chatbot Need an AI Disclosure? Article 50(1) Explained
- Art. 50(4)AI Deepfake Disclosure Requirements — Article 50(4)
- Art. 50(2)Labeling AI-Generated Content Under Article 50(2)
- Art. 50Article 50 Transparency Obligations: Provider vs Deployer
- ReferenceArticle 50 & EU AI Act Glossary
Automated technical guidance, not legal advice. Citations refer to Regulation (EU) 2024/1689.