AI Disclosure Rules: When the law requires you to label AI
More and more, the law does not ask whether you used AI. It asks whether you said so. We track the rules that require a visible label on AI-altered media, AI-generated content, and automated decisions.
A topic page in AI Regulation News, our source-backed tracker of the rules that change how professionals use AI at work.
A distinct branch of AI regulation has nothing to do with whether AI is allowed and everything to do with whether you disclosed it. Across sectors, lawmakers and regulators have settled on the same lever: not a ban, but a labeling duty. If a listing photo was altered by AI, the rule says tell the buyer. If an applicant is screened by an automated system, the rule says tell the applicant. If a chatbot or generated image is presented to the public, the rule says make the artificial origin clear. The common thread is transparency as the price of using the tool, and it is one of the easiest duties to satisfy and one of the easiest to forget.
The pattern matters because disclosure rules are unusually enforceable. A vague reasonableness standard invites argument. A labeling requirement does not. Either the conspicuous notice is on the listing, in the applicant communication, or beside the generated image, or it is not. That binary quality is exactly why these rules carry teeth, including misdemeanor exposure for willful violations in some real estate marketing statutes and administrative discipline in others. The regulator does not have to prove intent to deceive. The absence of the label can be the violation.
What is at stake is sharpest where AI touches a consumer-facing representation. Real estate marketing is the clearest case: an altered or AI-staged image that changes what a property looks like can mislead a buyer, so the rule pairs a conspicuous disclosure with a link to or archive of the original. Employment is the next: applicant notice that AI is part of the decision. And the European model reaches widest, requiring that synthetic media and AI systems interacting with people be marked as artificial, a standard that follows any firm with clients or content in that market regardless of where the firm sits.
The workflow consequence is small to build and expensive to skip. The defensible practice is a standing disclosure step in any process that produces public-facing or decision-affecting output: a fixed label on altered media, an archived original you can produce, an applicant notice that matches the strictest jurisdiction in your funnel, and a clear marker on anything generated that a person will read or rely on. Wire it into the template once and it runs itself. The briefings below track the specific disclosure rules now in force and the ones arriving. This is workflow interpretation across professions, not legal advice; it sits beside our court-rules and hiring-laws pages, which cover the duties that are not about labeling.
The briefings we track in this lane
California AB 2025: AI-Altered Rental Ad Images
California AB 2025, Chapter 572, approved September 27, 2026, sets a disclosure duty for AI-generated or altered rental ad images. No start date stated.
Read the briefing Agency GuidanceKorea AI Research Guide Targets Hidden Review Prompts
A non-binding MSIT guide released 20 September 2026 keeps AI-assisted national research output on the author and calls hidden review prompts misconduct.
Read the briefing Regulatory updatePhilippine Ad Standards Body Sets AI Label Rule
ASC Circular 2026-014, self-regulatory and in effect from 21 September 2026, requires disclosure on ads with AI-generated or materially enhanced content.
Read the briefing StatuteCalifornia AB 723 and the AI Listing Photo Disclosure Rule
Altered or AI-staged listing images now need a conspicuous disclosure plus the original, and willful violations carry misdemeanor exposure for agents.
Read the briefing StatuteEU AI Act Article 50 and the Transparency Duty Reaching Your Firm
Article 50 requires that synthetic media and AI that interacts with people be marked as artificial. Why it follows firms far outside the European Union.
Read the briefing RuleIllinois HB 3773: The Four AI Disclosures Every Applicant Needs
The IDHR draft rules name what an AI-use notice must say. A paste-ready four-part applicant disclosure template plus a deployment checklist.
Read the briefingBrowse the full tracker for every rule, ruling, and agency action we follow across professions.
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Recent AI disclosure coverage
- Wisconsin Act 69: AI Real Estate Photo DisclosureWisconsin Act 69 requires disclosing AI-altered real estate listing photos. What agents must label, when it takes effect, and the workflow to stay clean.
- Washington Enacts 2027 AI Content Provenance Disclosure LawWashington HB 1170 makes large generative AI providers embed provenance data and offer a free detection tool from February 2027.
- Vietnam Decree 237: AI Labeling Duty for NewsroomsVietnam's Decree 237 requires licensed newsrooms to label AI-created or edited journalism that could confuse authenticity.
- Vietnam's Gen-AI Rules: Watermark and Disclose TrainingVietnam's AI Law pushes generative-AI providers to watermark AI content and disclose the data used to train the model.
- Vietnam Requires Your Chatbot to Disclose It Is AIVietnam's AI Law makes any business running a customer-facing chatbot ensure users can tell they are dealing with AI.
- Utah to Require Human Judgment in AI Prior AuthorizationUtah SB 319 makes insurers disclose AI use in prior authorization and keeps human medical judgment on adverse determinations.
- UK ASA: Disclose AI in Ads or Risk the CodesThe UK's advertising regulator is scaling AI ad monitoring and expects disclosure where non-disclosure would mislead.
- Turkey Sets AI Ad Disclosure Rules From 1 AugustTurkey amended its advertising regulation on 1 July 2026, adding AI disclosure duties and a digital replica ban, in force 1 August 2026.
- Texas TRAIGA HB 149: AI Disclosure Duty in HealthcareTexas TRAIGA (HB 149) requires disclosing AI use in clinical care. What providers must tell patients, the emergency exception, and the documentation step.
- Texas SB 1188 Requires Physicians to Disclose Diagnostic AITexas SB 1188, effective Sept 1 2025, lets practitioners use diagnostic AI in scope but must review AI-created records and disclose AI use to patients.
- Taiwan Banks: Name an AI Owner, Disclose the BotTaiwan's bank association rules require a named senior officer accountable for AI and a clear disclosure when a customer is talking to a machine.
- Taiwan's Coming Duty to Label AI-Generated ContentUnder Taiwan's AI Basic Act, firms deploying generative AI face an emerging duty to label AI content and disclose the machine.
- Korea Bans Election Deepfakes in a 90-Day WindowSouth Korea's election law bans undisclosed AI deepfakes in the 90 days before a vote and requires labels outside that window.
- Korea Now Requires AI-Generated Content to Be LabeledSouth Korea's AI Basic Act makes generative-AI providers tell users it is AI and label outputs, with stricter notice for deepfakes.
- Singapore IMDA Issues Voluntary GenAI Chatbot Info-Card GuideSingapore's IMDA launched voluntary transparency guidelines for GenAI chatbots, built around a plain-language chatbot info card.
- Saudi SDAIA Deepfakes Guidelines Tie to PDPLSDAIA's Deepfakes Guidelines split malicious from non-malicious synthetic media and route duties through the PDPL and cyber crime law.
- NPC Calls AI Likeness Images Data ProcessingThe NPC notice of 11 August 2026 reads the Data Privacy Act as covering AI likeness misuse. It is guidance, not a new rule, with no circular number.
- Ontario Requires AI Disclosure in Public Job PostingsOntario employers with 25 or more staff must disclose in job postings when AI screens or selects applicants. Binding under the ESA.
- ONC HTI-5 Proposes Rolling Back AI Model CardsONC HTI-5 proposes scaling back AI model-card transparency for certified health IT. What HTI-1 still requires today and what HTI-5 would change.
- NY S9584: AI Video and Immersive Listing Disclosure RulesNew York's pending S9584 would require disclosure of AI edits to listing video and virtual tours. Plus the in-force California and Wisconsin rules.
- NZ Public Service AI Framework: Non-Binding GuidanceNew Zealand's Public Service AI Framework asks agencies to be transparent about AI use. Voluntary guidance, not binding law.
- New York Requires Ad Disclosure of AI Synthetic PerformersNew York's synthetic performer law makes advertisers conspicuously disclose AI performers. Civil penalties apply.
- Nevada Requires Election Deepfake LabelsNevada AB73 makes political ads using AI-generated or altered media carry a clear disclosure, and lets depicted candidates sue.
- Netherlands: AI Transparency Code Deadline 22 JulyThe Dutch AP urges signing the EU AI transparency Code before the 22 July 2026 first-signatory cut-off; Article 50 duties apply 2 August 2026.
- Malaysia SC Proposes Board AI Oversight RulesSecurities Commission Malaysia consulted on board oversight and listed-company disclosure of AI use and governance. A proposal, not law.
- Louisiana to Require AI-Deepfake Disclosure in Election AdsLouisiana Act 806 requires disclosure when AI creates or manipulates a candidate's likeness in political ads. Up to 2 years.
- Korea AI decree: metadata alone is not a labelKorea's AI Framework Act Enforcement Decree No. 36506 took effect 21 July 2026. Machine-readable AI labels alone are not enough.
- Jordan Now Requires AI Disclosure in Digital MediaJordan's Regulation No. 13 of 2026 took effect May 23: licensed digital media must disclose AI use and take consent before personal data enters AI work.
- Garante Bars RTI Deepfakes of Mentana, Issues WarningGarante provvedimento 577 of 23 July 2026 bans RTI from further deepfake processing of Enrico Mentana's image and issues a formal ammonimento.
- Israel Sets AI Marking Rules for Election AdsRules under section 2A2 of the Means of Propaganda Law require a disclosure at least 5 percent of content height, for the full run of a video.
- IRS ETAAC 2026 Report: AI Transparency Rules for Tax ProsThe IRS ETAAC 2026 report urges the agency to disclose how it uses AI. What the advisory push signals for CPAs, and how to prepare your practice.
- Indonesia Drafts an AI-Content Labeling RuleIndonesia's Komdigi is drafting a rule to make platforms label AI-generated content. Not yet in force.
- India IT Rules: Mandatory Labels for AI-Generated ContentIndia's amended IT Rules require AI-generated content to carry permanent provenance metadata and make large platforms verify user AI declarations.
- Hawaii Signs AI Companion Disclosure and Safety ActHawaii's Governor signed SB 3001, the AI companion disclosure and safety act, into law as Act 248 on July 14, 2026, plus HB 2137 on deepfakes as Act 247.
- Czech CTU on Article 50: Fix Your Role FirstThe Czech regulator CTU set out a three-step reading of AI Act Article 50 ahead of 2 August 2026, and named itself as one supervisor.
- Connecticut AI Layoff Disclosure Rule | The Leveraged YearsConnecticut SB 5 makes employers state whether AI drove a layoff on the WARN filing starting Oct 1, 2026. What HR owes now, with a pre-RIF checklist.
- Colorado's New AI Law: Disclosure Duties and Trade SecretsColorado replaced its 2024 AI Act with SB 26-189, a disclosure-based ADMT law effective Jan 2027. What changed, who it binds, and the trade secret catch.
- China draft law: AI labelling duties, comments close Aug 28CAC released a draft Anti-Cyberviolence Law July 29, 2026. Sixty articles would give AI labelling and tracing duties statutory rank. Comments close Aug 28.
- Quebec's Law 25: AI Decision Transparency Now EnforcedQuebec's Law 25 makes anyone deciding by exclusively automated processing notify the person and disclose the factors. Fines reach $10M.
- Canada Consults on AI TransparencyISED opened a consultation on AI transparency from 23 July to 23 September 2026, with a discussion paper covering five areas including AI agents.
- California SB 53 Frontier AI Act Is Now in ForceCalifornia SB 53 makes large frontier AI developers publish safety frameworks and report critical incidents within 15 days. Who it reaches.
- California AI Transparency Act Duties Phase In From AugustCalifornia AB 853 amends the AI Transparency Act. The core chapter goes operative August 2, 2026, with platform duties from January 2027.
- California AI Training-Data Transparency Duty Now LiveCalifornia AB 2013 makes generative AI developers publicly post training-data documentation across 12 categories. AG-enforced.
- Brazil Bans Election Deepfakes and Mandates AI LabelsBrazil's electoral court banned deepfakes of real people, mandated AI-use labels and set a 72-hour synthetic-content blackout.
- Brazil: an AI avatar does not escape a speech banA Supreme Federal Court order in Brazil, EP 169, set a 48-hour deadline over an AI-simulated video and points at a rule that bites even with consent.
- Belgium's AI Influencer Sweep Found 69% Non-DisclosureBelgium's Economic Inspection led a 20-authority ICPEN sweep and found 69% of influencers using AI images did not systematically disclose it.
- Court Permanently Blocks Hawaii Election Deepfake LawA federal court permanently blocked Hawaii's Act 191 election-deepfake law on Jan 30, 2026 as a content-based restriction on protected political speech.
- Azerbaijan Criminalises Nonconsensual AI MediaLaw 387-VIIQD adds Criminal Code Articles 148-2 and 242-1 on nonconsensual AI media, and a marking duty for AI content shown publicly.
- Australia ADM Transparency Duty Set to Start Dec 10, 2026From 10 December 2026 Australian APP entities using personal information in automated decisions that significantly affect people must disclose it.
- Australian Federal Court Practice Note on Generative AI UseThe Federal Court of Australia's GPN-AI note lets the Court require disclosure of whether and how generative AI was used in filings.
- Fair Work Commission Drafts AI Disclosure RulesAustralia's Fair Work Commission proposes that parties and lawyers disclose generative-AI use and confirm they verified accuracy.
- AI Labeling Act of 2026 (S. 4915): Disclosure Bill FiledSenators Schatz, Curtis and Warner introduced the AI Labeling Act of 2026 to require disclosure of AI-generated content. A bill, not law.
- California AB 502: Election Deepfake Law RewrittenAgainst the 2024 text enacted by AB 2839: the windows shrank from 120 days before an election (and 60 days after, for officials and equipment) to 30 days before (and 38 days after, for elections officials and e
- Montana Deepfake Law Enjoined for Two PlaintiffsThe three named officials can no longer act under the Act against the two plaintiffs.
- California SB 1050: Synthetic Performer Ad DisclosureA new Article 10, Synthetic Performers, consisting of section 17610, is added to Chapter 1 of Part 3 of Division 7 of the Business and Professions Code.
- Dutch Rule: Say If AI Personalised Your PriceStb. 2026, 251 adds a BGfo duty to disclose personalised pricing by automated decision-making. In force 28 August 2026, enforced by the AFM.
- California AB 1651: Bar Must Disclose AI in ExamsAB 1651 was chaptered 22 August 2026. From 1 January 2028 the State Bar must disclose AI use in its exams and study materials, human review or not.
- California SB 574: Disclose Generative AI to CourtsPassed both houses on 31 August 2026, Assembly amendments concurred 39 to 0. NOT presented to the Governor and no chapter number. It would bar delegating the practice of law to generative AI and require disclosure for every document filed.