Government to force companies to label AI content, with heavy penalties if they fail to do so

The Spanish government has approved a draft bill that obliges companies to label content generated by artificial intelligence (AI), imposing significant penalties for non-compliance. The bill seeks to align national regulations with the EU's AI Regulation, ensuring that users can distinguish between real and virtual content, and to prevent the misuse of this technology.

The draft bill establishes that very serious infringements will be punishable by fines of between €7.5 million and €15 million, or up to 3% of the previous year's global turnover. Serious infringements will lead to fines of between EUR 500,000 and EUR 7.5 million, or up to 2% of worldwide turnover. In addition, the right of competent authorities to temporarily withdraw AI systems that have caused serious incidents from the market is introduced.

Daniel López, partner at ECIJA and expert in technology and privacy law, highlights the relevance of this initiative to ensure ethical and human-controlled AI. López stresses that the regulation seeks to balance technological innovation with the protection of fundamental rights, ensuring that companies implement adequate measures to inform users about the origin of content and prevent possible abuses.

This step reflects the government's commitment to regulating the use of AI, promoting transparency and accountability in its application, and aligning with European guidelines on the matter.

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