Rima Sabina Aouf

Artists and companies publishing realistic AI-generated architectural renderings in the European Union without labelling risk being fined under provisions in the EU AI Act that came into force last week. The EU Artificial Intelligence Act Article 50, which came into force on 2 August, requires creators of realistic-looking images, audio or video to disclose if the content is AI-generated or modified to reduce incidences of harm through deception. Many creative works are exempt from the provisions, but realistic AI-generated visualisations of buildings and interiors appear to fall under the act's categorisation of "deepfakes", according to Szymon Sieniewicz, a counsel at law firm Addleshaw Goddard. "If it's very realistic scenery with people walking around and it is AI generated, it will need to be labelled as AI generated," he told Dezeen. Companies using AI to modify product photos, using chatbots on their homepage or publishing AI-generated text on matters of public interest will also face new obligations under the provisions. Realistic renderings "likely" to come under deepfake definition The EU AI Act was passed in 2024, but its Article 50 transparency provisions are the first section to come into force that affects all businesses using AI, not just those developing AI systems. The subsection expected to have the most impact is Article 50(4), which requires creators of images, audio or video content constituting a deepfake to disclose that the content has been artificially generated or manipulated. While architectural visualisations might not be what most people think of as deepfakes – a