The AI label is now part of the product: what August’s transparency rules mean for generative AI startups

Startups Magazine · 25

EU AI Act Article 50 took effect on 2 August 2026, requiring generative AI systems and their deployers to disclose AI use and mark synthetic outputs in ways that persist outside the product. The synthetic-content marking obligation has a deadline of 2 December 2026 for systems already on the market. Startups must redesign interfaces, content pipelines, metadata, and publishing workflows so transparency becomes a built-in product feature rather than a legal add-on, which can also become a procurement advantage.