Stefania Attolini
Stefania Attolini
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AI Act

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The EU Publishes the Code of Practice on Transparency of AI-Generated Content

by Stefania Attolini

Code of Practice on Transparency of AI-Generated Content

On 10 June 2026, the European Commission published the final Code of Practice on Transparency of AI-Generated Content, a voluntary instrument designed to help providers and deployers of generative AI systems comply with the transparency obligations established by the EU AI Act. These obligations will start to apply on 2 August 2026.

The Code addresses one of the most pressing challenges raised by generative AI: how to ensure that citizens can recognise when content has been created or manipulated by artificial intelligence. As synthetic text, images, audio and video become increasingly sophisticated, transparency is emerging as a key tool for preserving trust in the information ecosystem and reducing the risks of misinformation, manipulation and deception.

The document is divided into two sections:

  • The first concerns providers of generative AI systems and explains how AI-generated or AI-manipulated content should be marked and made detectable. The Code is structured around four core commitments concerning the marking of AI-generated content, the provision of detection mechanisms, compliance with quality requirements such as effectiveness, reliability, robustness and interoperability, and the establishment of testing and compliance procedures. To this end, it promotes a multi-layered approach based on machine-readable metadata, watermarking techniques and detection mechanisms capable of identifying synthetic content.
  • The second section focuses on deployers of AI systems, clarifying their obligations to label deepfakes and AI-generated or AI-manipulated content published on matters of public interest. The objective is to guarantee that users receive clear information when interacting with synthetic content and can make informed decisions about its reliability.

Although voluntary, the Code is likely to play an important role in the implementation of the AI Act. Once approved by the European Commission and the AI Board, adherence to the Code may help organisations demonstrate compliance with the transparency requirements set out in Article 50 AI Act.

Beyond its practical relevance, the initiative reflects the broader European approach to AI governance: promoting innovation while ensuring accountability, transparency and the protection of fundamental rights. In this respect, the Code represents another significant step towards the development of a trustworthy and human-centric AI ecosystem in Europe.

The publication of the Code does not conclude the implementation process. The European Commission has announced that the Code will be complemented by forthcoming Guidelines on the transparency obligations under Article 50 of the AI Act. These Guidelines are expected to clarify the scope of the legal requirements, address issues not covered by the Code, and provide practical guidance for providers and deployers. Their publication will be particularly important in resolving interpretative questions concerning the notions of AI-generated and AI-manipulated content, the disclosure obligations applicable to deepfakes, and the relationship between transparency requirements and editorial control. As such, the Code should be viewed as an important first step within a broader regulatory framework that is still evolving.

 

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Magnifica Humanitas: Artificial Intelligence as a New Social Question

by Stefania Attolini

Read the Magnifica Humanitas (here)

With the publication of Magnifica Humanitas (15 May 2026), Pope Leo XIV has placed artificial intelligence at the centre of the Catholic Church’s social reflection. Following the tradition inaugurated by Rerum novarum and developed through the major social encyclicals of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, the new document addresses AI not merely as a technological innovation but as a phenomenon capable of reshaping work, democracy, human relationships and the understanding of human dignity itself.

What makes Magnifica Humanitas particularly noteworthy is its attempt to frame artificial intelligence as a new social question. The encyclical calls for technological development to remain at the service of the human person and warns against forms of technological power that risk reducing individuals to data, predictions and measurable performance. At the same time, it highlights the need for responsibility, transparency, human oversight and international cooperation in the governance of emerging technologies.

The document also contributes to a broader global debate that extends far beyond religious communities. Many of the concerns expressed by Pope Leo XIV resonate with principles increasingly found in international instruments on AI ethics and regulation, including human dignity, accountability, non-discrimination and the preservation of meaningful human control over automated systems.

The publication of Magnifica Humanitas invites a deeper and more careful assessment of its potential significance and long-term implications. Beyond its immediate theological and ethical reflections, the document raises important questions concerning the governance of artificial intelligence, the role of human dignity in technological development, and the contribution of religious actors to global normative debates. Its broader impact on legal, political and institutional discussions surrounding emerging technologies will likely become clearer in the years ahead and deserves sustained scholarly attention.

Looking ahead, the publication of Magnifica Humanitas is likely to stimulate further discussion among legal scholars, policymakers and technology experts about the ethical and institutional foundations of AI governance. Its reflections invite a broader conversation on how emerging technologies can be aligned with human dignity, social justice and the common good in an increasingly interconnected world.

 

Magnifica Humanitas et la gouvernance mondiale de l’intelligence artificielle

Avec la publication de Magnifica Humanitas (15 mai 2026), le pape Léon XIV place l’intelligence artificielle au cœur de la réflexion sociale de l’Église catholique. S’inscrivant dans la tradition inaugurée par Rerum novarum et développée par les grandes encycliques sociales des XXe et XXIe siècles, ce nouveau texte aborde l’IA non pas comme une simple innovation technologique, mais comme un phénomène susceptible de transformer le travail, la démocratie, les relations humaines et la compréhension même de la dignité humaine.

L’un des aspects les plus remarquables de Magnifica Humanitas réside dans sa volonté de présenter l’intelligence artificielle comme une nouvelle question sociale. L’encyclique affirme que le développement technologique doit demeurer au service de la personne humaine et met en garde contre les formes de pouvoir technologique qui risquent de réduire les individus à des données, à des prédictions ou à des performances mesurables. Elle souligne également la nécessité de promouvoir la responsabilité, la transparence, le contrôle humain et la coopération internationale dans la gouvernance des technologies émergentes.

Le document contribue également à un débat mondial qui dépasse largement les communautés religieuses. Nombre des préoccupations exprimées par Léon XIV rejoignent des principes de plus en plus présents dans les instruments internationaux consacrés à l’éthique et à la régulation de l’intelligence artificielle, notamment la dignité humaine, la responsabilité, la non-discrimination et la préservation d’un contrôle humain significatif sur les systèmes automatisés.

La publication de Magnifica Humanitas invite à une réflexion plus approfondie sur sa portée et ses implications à long terme. Au-delà de ses dimensions théologiques et éthiques immédiates, le document soulève d’importantes questions relatives à la gouvernance de l’intelligence artificielle, au rôle de la dignité humaine dans le développement technologique et à la contribution des acteurs religieux aux débats normatifs mondiaux. Son influence sur les discussions juridiques, politiques et institutionnelles concernant les technologies émergentes se révélera probablement plus clairement dans les années à venir et mérite une attention scientifique soutenue.

À l’avenir, Magnifica Humanitas devrait nourrir les réflexions des juristes, des décideurs publics et des experts des technologies sur les fondements éthiques et institutionnels de la gouvernance de l’intelligence artificielle. Ses analyses invitent à une réflexion plus large sur les conditions permettant d’orienter les technologies émergentes vers la dignité humaine, la justice sociale et le bien commun dans un monde toujours plus interconnecté.

 

Magnifica Humanitas e la governance globale dell’intelligenza artificiale

Con la pubblicazione della Magnifica Humanitas (15 maggio 2026), Papa Leone XIV ha posto l’intelligenza artificiale al centro della riflessione sociale della Chiesa cattolica. Inserendosi nella tradizione inaugurata dalla Rerum novarum e sviluppata attraverso le grandi encicliche sociali del XX e XXI secolo, il nuovo documento affronta l’IA non come una semplice innovazione tecnologica, ma come un fenomeno capace di trasformare il lavoro, la democrazia, le relazioni umane e la stessa comprensione della dignità della persona.

Ciò che rende particolarmente significativa la Magnifica Humanitas è il tentativo di configurare l’intelligenza artificiale come una nuova questione sociale. L’enciclica richiama l’esigenza che lo sviluppo tecnologico rimanga al servizio della persona umana e mette in guardia contro forme di potere tecnologico che rischiano di ridurre gli individui a dati, previsioni e prestazioni misurabili. Al tempo stesso, sottolinea la necessità di promuovere responsabilità, trasparenza, supervisione umana e cooperazione internazionale nella governance delle tecnologie emergenti.

Il documento contribuisce inoltre a un dibattito globale che va ben oltre le comunità religiose. Molte delle preoccupazioni espresse da Leone XIV trovano riscontro nei principi sempre più presenti negli strumenti internazionali dedicati all’etica e alla regolazione dell’intelligenza artificiale, tra cui la dignità umana, la responsabilità, la non discriminazione e la salvaguardia di un controllo umano significativo sui sistemi automatizzati.

La pubblicazione della Magnifica Humanitas invita a una riflessione più approfondita sul suo significato e sulle sue implicazioni di lungo periodo. Al di là delle sue immediate dimensioni teologiche ed etiche, il documento solleva importanti interrogativi riguardanti la governance dell’intelligenza artificiale, il ruolo della dignità umana nello sviluppo tecnologico e il contributo degli attori religiosi ai dibattiti normativi globali. Il suo impatto sulle discussioni giuridiche, politiche e istituzionali relative alle tecnologie emergenti emergerà probabilmente con maggiore chiarezza negli anni a venire e merita un’attenzione scientifica costante.

Guardando al futuro, la Magnifica Humanitas è destinata a stimolare ulteriori riflessioni tra studiosi del diritto, decisori pubblici ed esperti di tecnologia sui fondamenti etici e istituzionali della governance dell’intelligenza artificiale. Le sue considerazioni invitano a una più ampia discussione su come orientare le tecnologie emergenti verso la tutela della dignità umana, della giustizia sociale e del bene comune in un mondo sempre più interconnesso.

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Artificial Intelligence and the Rise of Europe’s Regulatory Power

by Stefania Attolini

Artificial intelligence is no longer merely a technological issue: it has become a constitutional, economic, and geopolitical one.

With the AI Act, the European Union is attempting to build the world’s first comprehensive legal framework for AI regulation, based on a risk-oriented approach aimed at balancing innovation, fundamental rights protection, and security.

In doing so, Europe is pursuing a path distinct from both the American and Chinese models: neither complete deregulation nor centralized state control.

One crucial question nevertheless remains open:
👉 can the EU transform its “regulatory power” into genuine technological leadership?

Here is the official European Commission overview of the AI Act:
AI Act – European Commission

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The EU Digital Omnibus Strategy: Why Is Europe Revising Its Digital Rulebook So Soon?

by Stefania Attolini

On 19 November 2025, the European Commission unveiled its DIGITAL OMNIBUS STRATEGY, a broad simplification package designed to streamline key elements of the EU digital regulatory framework. The initiative accompanies legislative proposals amending several cornerstone instruments of EU digital law, including the GDPR, the Data Governance Act, the Data Act, the Open Data Directive, the ePrivacy framework, the AI Act, and cybersecurity legislation.

At first sight, the proposal appears surprising. Most of the instruments targeted by the Digital Omnibus are not old legislation in need of modernization. On the contrary, they represent some of the most recent and ambitious components of the EU’s digital acquis. The Data Governance Act became applicable in 2023, the AI Act was adopted in 2024, and the Data Act only started to apply in September 2025.

This raises an important question: why is the European Commission proposing amendments to legislation that has barely entered into force?

From Regulatory Expansion to Regulatory Consolidation

The answer offered by the Commission is revealing. The Digital Omnibus is not presented as a change of regulatory direction. Rather, it is described as a first step in a broader effort to “stress-test” the EU digital rulebook and ensure that digital legislation remains supportive of innovation, competitiveness and economic growth while preserving high levels of protection.

According to the Commission, the rapid expansion of EU digital regulation over the last decade has created a complex legal landscape. Stakeholders have increasingly reported overlaps between legislative instruments, duplicative compliance obligations, legal uncertainty, fragmented reporting requirements, and difficulties understanding how different rules interact in practice.

The Digital Omnibus therefore reflects a shift from the phase of regulatory construction to a phase of regulatory consolidation. Rather than introducing entirely new rules, the Commission seeks to simplify, align and rationalise the existing framework.

Key Highlights

1. Towards a “One Data Act” Approach

One of the most significant elements of the proposal concerns the EU data framework.

The Commission acknowledges that the current data acquis has become fragmented across multiple instruments. To address this, the Digital Omnibus proposes:

the repeal of the Free Flow of Non-Personal Data Regulation while preserving its core principle of free movement of non-personal data within the EU;
the integration of key provisions of the Data Governance Act and the Open Data Directive into a more coherent framework centred on the Data Act;
simplification of rules governing data intermediation services;
clarification of provisions relating to data sharing, cloud switching and public-sector access to data.

The objective is to create a more coherent legal architecture capable of supporting data-driven innovation and strengthening the European data economy.

2. Greater Legal Certainty for Data Protection and AI

A second pillar of the strategy concerns the interaction between data protection law and artificial intelligence.

The Commission identifies persistent uncertainty regarding:

anonymisation and pseudonymisation techniques;
the processing of personal data for scientific research;
the use of personal data for the development and operation of AI systems;
access rights under the GDPR;
data protection impact assessments and risk assessment obligations.

The proposed amendments seek to provide greater legal clarity without altering the fundamental principles of EU data protection law.

Importantly, the Commission explicitly links these reforms to the objective of facilitating the development of trustworthy AI in Europe.

3. Tackling “Consent Fatigue” and Cookie Banner Overload

The Digital Omnibus also addresses one of the most visible sources of regulatory frustration for internet users: cookie consent banners.

The Commission recognises the phenomenon of “consent fatigue”, whereby users are confronted with repetitive consent requests that undermine meaningful choice. To address this issue, the proposal includes:

one-click consent mechanisms;
machine-readable preference standards;
enhanced use of browser-based preference signals.

These measures aim to reduce compliance burdens while improving the effectiveness of privacy choices.

4. Simplifying the Implementation of the AI Act

The package includes a dedicated proposal amending the AI Act.

The Commission emphasises that these changes do not alter the fundamental objectives of the AI Act. Instead, they are intended to facilitate implementation, reduce unnecessary administrative burdens, and improve legal certainty for businesses.

The Commission also announces an extensive programme of guidance documents covering issues such as:

high-risk AI classification;
transparency obligations;
incident reporting;
fundamental rights impact assessments;
interactions between the AI Act and other EU legislation, including data protection law and cybersecurity rules.

5. A Single Cybersecurity Incident Reporting Mechanism

Another major objective of the Digital Omnibus is the rationalisation of cybersecurity reporting obligations.

The Commission proposes the creation of a single reporting mechanism capable of reducing overlaps between multiple notification requirements contained in different pieces of EU cybersecurity legislation.

This responds directly to stakeholder concerns regarding duplicated reporting duties and administrative complexity.

6. Repeal of Outdated Digital Legislation

The proposal also repeals several instruments considered redundant or superseded by more recent legislation, including the Platform-to-Business Regulation and other data-related measures whose objectives are now covered by newer regulatory frameworks.

A New Phase in EU Digital Governance

Perhaps the most important aspect of the Digital Omnibus is not any individual amendment, but what it reveals about the evolution of EU digital governance.

The Commission openly acknowledges that the challenge is no longer simply adopting new digital legislation. The challenge is ensuring that the growing body of digital regulation functions coherently as a system.

The Digital Omnibus therefore represents the first large-scale attempt to review the cumulative effects of the EU digital acquis. It marks the beginning of what the Commission calls a broader Digital Fitness Check, a process intended to assess how the digital rulebook affects innovation, competitiveness and regulatory effectiveness across sectors.

In this respect, the Digital Omnibus can be understood as an exercise in regulatory maintenance rather than deregulation. Its significance lies not only in simplifying compliance, but also in signalling the emergence of a new phase of EU digital policy: one focused on coherence, implementation and regulatory quality after years of intensive legislative expansion.

The Commission estimates that, if adopted, the measures could generate approximately EUR 5 billion in administrative cost savings for businesses and EUR 1 billion for public authorities by 2029.

Whether these ambitions will be achieved remains to be seen. What is already clear, however, is that the Digital Omnibus constitutes a significant milestone in the maturation of the European digital regulatory model.

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