On 10 June 2026 the European Commission published three icons for labelling AI content. They are free of charge, freely usable and require no attribution.
An icon alone does not satisfy the obligation. Their use is voluntary; the statutory transparency obligations remain unaffected. Simply placing a symbol on content does not fulfil Article 50 – what matters is that the disclosure is clear, perceivable and understandable. The Commission therefore expressly recommends combining the icon with a short text.
Indicates that artificial intelligence was involved – without saying whether the content was fully generated or merely altered.
Where you want to disclose the use of AI but the case does not clearly fall into either of the other two categories. User testing by the Commission showed that this icon only becomes understandable alongside a short text – for instance “voice generated with AI”.
For content generated entirely with artificial intelligence – without human-created elements and without editorial control.
A wholly invented but authentic-looking image of a supposed event. A news summary produced without editorial control. The fact that you entered a prompt does not prevent it counting as fully generated.
For content that originally came from people and was substantively altered using artificial intelligence.
A genuine recording into which a person or object has been inserted. A video to which AI-generated scenes were added. Ordinary technical editing such as exposure, colour or cropping does not fall under it.
The rules of the Code sound abstract. In concrete terms they mean:
These illustrations are schematic and show the principle, not a specific design requirement. What matters is that the disclosure is clearly and distinguishably perceivable as soon as someone encounters the content.
Section 2 of the Commission’s Code of Practice describes how the icons should be placed. In summary:
The Commission recommends combining the icon with a short statement. The check provides suitable wording ready to copy at the end of every result. For example:
The Commission provides all icons as SVG and PNG, in light and dark variants. We deliberately point to the original source rather than offering our own copies – that way you always have the current version.
To the official files of the European Commission
The icons are freely available and form part of the Code of Practice on Transparency of AI-Generated Content. Attribution to the Commission or the AI Office is not required.
This overview offers journalistic orientation on the EU AI Act and does not replace individual legal advice. What governs is the specific case, the regulation as it applies and its interpretation. As at 2 August 2026.