Enforcement date
Article 50 transparency obligations apply from 2 August 2026. Systems already on the market get a grace period until 2 December 2026.
COMPLIANCE · EU AI ACT
EU AI Act, demystified for agencies.
Article 50 transparency obligations apply from August 2, 2026. Most of what you’ve heard about watermarking requirements is wrong — or at least aimed at the wrong party. Here’s what actually applies to your agency, and what Solvgent handles for you.
At a glance
Who’s covered
Deployers (agencies using AI for content) must disclose deepfakes and AI text on matters of public interest. Routine marketing captions are not covered.
Who bears the watermark burden
AI model providers (Anthropic, OpenAI) must watermark outputs at the model level. This is not the deployer’s responsibility.
What deployers actually owe
Deepfake disclosure (Article 50(3))
If you publish AI-generated images or video that appreciably resemble real persons, you must disclose. Abstract illustrations, product mockups, and generic stock-style images are typically exempt.
Public-interest text (Article 50(4))
AI-generated text on civic, news, or public affairs matters must be disclosed. Marketing copy and product descriptions are out of scope.
Artistic exemption
Creative, satirical, and fictional content is exempt. The EU Act recognizes that artistic expression does not carry the same disclosure obligations as news or public communications.
What Solvgent does anyway
- C2PA-aligned ai_generated metadata attached to every asset — even though routine marketing content isn’t covered.
- Caption-level disclosure language supported automatically.
- Each connected platform’s AI labeling policy respected.
- Value-add for regulated industries (finance, healthcare, government communications) that want disclosure even when not legally required.
Where the real burden sits
Model providers (Anthropic, OpenAI) must implement machine-readable watermarks per Article 50(2). That is their legal obligation, not yours.
Solvgent operates under enterprise terms with both providers — they cannot train on your data AND they handle the watermarking.
Nothing your agency needs to build or maintain.
Frequently asked questions
Does the EU AI Act require me to watermark my agency’s social posts?
No. Article 50’s watermarking obligation falls on AI model providers (Anthropic, OpenAI), not on deployers like agencies. Your responsibility is disclosure of deepfakes and public-interest AI text.
Are routine marketing captions covered?
No. Article 50(4) covers text “published with the purpose of informing the public on matters of public interest” — civic, news, public affairs. Standard brand marketing, product descriptions, and social captions are not in scope.
What about AI-generated images?
If you generate images that appreciably resemble real persons (deepfakes per Article 3(60)), you must disclose. Abstract illustrations, product mockups, and generic stock-style images are typically exempt.
When does this take effect?
August 2, 2026 for new systems. Systems already on the market before that date get until December 2, 2026 per the May 7 Omnibus agreement.
What does Solvgent do about it?
Solvgent attaches C2PA-aligned ai_generated metadata to every AI-produced asset regardless of legal requirement. Caption-level disclosure language is a one-toggle default. We help you stay ahead of the law without a compliance project.