Europe Calls for Platform Labelling of AI-Generated Content to Combat Disinformation

The European Union is urging platforms to label AI-generated content to combat disinformation. Vera Jourova, the EU’s values and transparency commissioner, has requested signatories to its Code of Practice on Online Disinformation to develop technology that recognizes AI content and labels it clearly to users. Advanced chatbots and image generators are capable of creating complex content that can cause negative consequences for society, so Jourova wants signatories to create a dedicated and separate track within the code to discuss it. The EU is hoping to change the current version of the code, which does not commit to identifying or labeling deepfakes. The EU sees two main discussion angles for AI-generated content: services that integrate generative AI such as Microsoft’s New Bing or Google’s Bard AI-augmented search services and signatories who have services with potential to disseminate AI-generated disinformation. The EU is expecting to see action on AI-generated disinformation risks next month, with Jourova saying relevant signatories should use July reports to inform the public about safeguards they are putting in place.