The new regulation is designed to combat misinformation and manipulation, Beijing says.

In a bold move to curb the misuse of artificial intelligence (AI) and safeguard digital integrity, China has announced that all AI-generated content on the internet must now be clearly labeled. The sweeping new regulation, issued by the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), positions the country at the forefront of global efforts to responsibly regulate emerging technologies.

Until now, only the European Union had stepped forward in AI regulation.

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According to the CAC, any content created using generative AI — including text, images, audio, and video — must be marked either through visible labeling or embedded metadata.

The goal, the agency said, is to reduce disinformation and hold service providers accountable for content circulating on their platforms.

“The labeling requirement will help users identify synthetic content and ensure digital spaces are not exploited for misinformation or manipulation,” the CAC stated in its official announcement.

As part of the regulation, app store operators are now responsible for reviewing AI labeling mechanisms in all applications under their purview. Users, too, are required to declare when sharing AI-generated content, with penalties in place for those who alter or remove such labels after publication, according to a report by the South China Morning Post, which published a summary of the ruling.

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China’s proactive approach stands in stark contrast to the United States, where efforts to regulate AI have faltered following the deregulatory stance of Donald Trump’s administration while AI fakes now spread unchecked and disinformation is rampant.

While the European Union has made strides with its AI Act — a pioneering legal framework for AI governance — China’s implementation of enforceable AI-labeling rules marks a significant step in global leadership on the issue. Beijing's swift action underscores a broader trend of using strong regulatory tools to manage the impact of advanced technologies on society.

As AI-generated content continues to blur the line between real and fake, China’s stance on regulation and accountability actually aligns the country to Europe’s values and ethics in this area.