Since August 2, providers and deployers of certain AI systems have faced new obligations to disclose AI interactions, mark AI-generated or manipulated content, and label certain deepfakes and AI-generated text on matters of public interest. The European Commission says the rules are intended to reduce deception and manipulation and strengthen the integrity of Europe’s information environment.The moment comes against a backdrop of concerns about declining democratic standards in Europe. As European democracies face risks from foreign interference, internal political divisions, and rapidly evolving AI systems, the newly enforceable AI Act provisions can strengthen transparency, accountability, and institutional readiness, but they cannot by themselves address the broader threats facing European democracies. The question, therefore, is whether greater transparency actually translates into greater democratic resilience.What actually changed on August 2?Several regulatory developments are noteworthy. First, Article 50's transparency rules took effect. Providers of certain AI systems must ensure that people are informed when they interact directly with an AI system, while providers of systems that generate or manipulate synthetic content must ensure that outputs are marked in a machine-readable format where required. Deployers have separate obligations concerning the disclosure of deepfakes and AI-generated public-interest text. These obligations come with several exceptions,…

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