Guides · Article 50 · EU AI Act
The 2 August 2026 deadline and Article 50
One date comes up repeatedly for Article 50: its transparency obligations apply from 2 August 2026. This guide explains what that means for teams weighing chatbot disclosure, content marking, emotion-recognition notices, and deepfake labelling. It is informational only, not legal advice, and does not determine whether the Act applies to you.
What the date marks
Article 50's transparency obligations apply from 2 August 2026. That is the point from which the duties in paragraphs 50(1) to 50(4) — informing people they are interacting with AI, marking synthetic content, notifying people exposed to emotion-recognition systems, and disclosing deepfakes — are set to be in effect. It is not a filing deadline or a registration date; it is when these particular transparency obligations apply. Other parts of the EU AI Act have their own timelines, which are outside the scope of this guide and worth confirming with counsel.
What teams tend to do ahead of it
Because the obligations turn on the kind of AI system, preparation usually starts with mapping systems to paragraphs rather than rushing to draft notices. Common steps:
- Inventory AI systems and features, and the output types each produces.
- Identify which Article 50 paragraph each might engage, and whether you are provider-side or deployer-side.
- Draft disclosures or marking approaches for the systems in scope.
- Confirm timing and accessibility (Article 50(5)) in the actual product.
- Route the documentation to qualified counsel for review.
A note on penalties
The EU AI Act provides for penalties, and enforcement mechanics sit outside Article 50. This guide does not state penalty amounts — those are set elsewhere in the Regulation. If you need to understand exposure, read the Act itself and consult qualified counsel. Our free scope check can help you frame which paragraphs may apply before that conversation.
Common questions
When do Article 50 transparency obligations apply?
Article 50's transparency obligations apply from 2 August 2026. Whether a given obligation applies to your specific system is a separate, fact-specific question to confirm with qualified counsel.
See what may apply to your business
Answer seven quick questions for an automated, informational indication of which Article 50 obligations appear likely to apply — free, and not legal advice.