Guides · Article 50 · EU AI Act
What is synthetic content?
'Synthetic content' is the phrase Article 50(2) of the EU AI Act uses for the AI outputs that must be marked. This guide gives a plain-language orientation to the idea. It is informational only and not legal advice. It is not the Act's formal definition — the Regulation defines its terms elsewhere — and whether a specific output falls inside Article 50(2) is a fact-specific question for qualified counsel.
How Article 50(2) frames it
Article 50(2) addresses providers of AI systems, including general-purpose AI systems, that generate synthetic audio, image, video or text content, and requires them to ensure the outputs are marked in a machine-readable format and detectable as artificially generated or manipulated (Article 50(2), Regulation (EU) 2024/1689). In plain terms, 'synthetic content' points at media or text produced by an AI system rather than captured or written directly by a person — but that everyday sense is an orientation, not the Regulation's defined meaning.
The marking duty here falls on the provider of the generating system, not on downstream users of the content.
Where the edges are fact-specific
The paragraph carves out cases to the extent the AI performs an assistive function for standard editing, or does not substantially alter the input data provided by the deployer or its semantics, plus certain law-enforcement uses. So lightly AI-assisted edits and heavily generated outputs may sit differently. Whether your output is 'synthetic content' within Article 50(2), and whether a carve-out applies, are questions for counsel, not ones this guide resolves.
Common questions
Is 'synthetic content' the same as anything an AI touched?
Not necessarily. Article 50(2) carves out cases where the AI only performs an assistive function for standard editing or does not substantially alter the input or its semantics. Where the line falls is fact-specific, and this is a plain-language orientation, not the Act's formal definition — 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.