eu-ai-label

EU AI content labels

Burns the official European Commission icons for labelling AI-generated content into images and videos. Source: https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/eu-icons-labelling-ai-generated-content (icons bundled in assets/, PNG + SVG, all four colour variations).

Quick start

python3 scripts/ai-label.py <file...>          # basic "AI" icon, bottom-right, auto colour

Writes <name>-ai-label.<ext> next to the input and prints the recommended alt text. Always use the absolute skill path when calling from another directory, e.g. python3 ~/.pi/agent/skills/eu-ai-label/scripts/ai-label.py clip.mp4.

Pick the right variant

Ask the user which case applies if it is not obvious; when unsure default to ai.

Common usage

Options that matter

• -c/--color auto|black|white — auto samples the target corner and picks the contrasting icon.
• --half — the 50 %-transparency icon variants (only when the full-opacity one is too dominant).
• -p/--position — bottom-right (default), bottom-left, top-right, top-left, bottom-center, top-center; br/bl/tr/tl/bc/tc aliases work.
• Size: --height (% of frame height, default 8) or --width (% of frame width), or absolute --height-px / --width-px. Guards: --min-px (24), --max-width (40 %).
• --margin % of the shorter side (default 2.5) or --margin-px.
• Video encode: --crf 18, --preset medium, --vcodec libx264; audio is stream-copied. Add anything else with --ffmpeg-arg.
• -n/--dry-run prints the ffmpeg command, -f/--force overwrites, --no-metadata skips the disclosure comment tag.

Behaviour notes: images keep their format (JPEG q2, PNG flattened unless --keep-alpha), GIFs are re-encoded with a generated palette, audio-only inputs are skipped with a hint (the EU icons are visual — disclose audio in the player UI, description or an accompanying label).

Metadata is video-only. The disclosure comment tag is written for video containers (MP4/MOV/…), but ffmpeg's still-image muxers discard it, so PNG/JPEG/WebP/TIFF/GIF outputs carry no tag — the script says so instead of pretending otherwise. This is cosmetic for compliance: Art. 50 wants a visible mark, and the label is burned into the pixels either way. To add a tag anyway: exiftool -Comment='…' out.png.

Placement rules to respect

Follow these unless the user explicitly overrides them:

1. Visible at first exposure — first frame / above the fold, not only at the end.
2. Put it where no UI overlay covers it (avoid platform-specific hot corners such as the TikTok/Reels right rail or a YouTube progress bar area — prefer top-left or bottom-left there).
3. Burn it into the pixels so it survives resharing and downloading; metadata alone is not enough.
4. Clearly visible size — don't shrink below ~5 % of frame height; the default 8 % is a good floor.
5. Give the recommended alt text / ARIA label to any surface that publishes the file (the script prints it; also available via --print-alt).
6. If the disclosure is time-limited, keep it on screen long enough to read.

Full rules and scope: references/eu-rules.md.

Important caveats

• Using the icon does not by itself establish legal compliance. Deployers stay responsible under Article 50 AI Act; signatories of the Code of Practice must follow its placement specs.
• Not everything needs a label: the duty covers deep fakes (image/audio/video resembling real persons/places/events) and AI-generated text on matters of public interest published without human editorial review. Artistic/satirical/fictional works get limited disclosure that must not hamper enjoyment of the work; law-enforcement-authorised uses are exempt.
• The icon is a visual disclosure, not provenance. For machine-readable provenance use C2PA / Content Credentials in addition.