European Union bans its employees from using videos and photos in official communication with …

The European Union has banned its staff from using images and videos generated using artificial intelligence (AI) in official communications. This comes as the EU's key institutions move to address concerns around deepfakes and misinformation. According to a Politico report, the policy applies across the European Commission, the European Parliament, and the Council of the European Union, and the Council confirmed that fully AI-generated visuals are not permitted in press and public-facing materials.The decision comes amid growing scrutiny of artificial intelligence in political communication, particularly as synthetic media becomes more common online. EU officials say the restriction is aimed at maintaining trust and ensuring authenticity in official messaging.“The footage and photos that we are using and making available for journalists’ use or for official information purposes do not include AI-generated content,” Thomas Regnier, spokesperson for the European Commission, told Politico. He added that the institution aims to “foster citizens’ trust” and that “authenticity” remains a priority. The Commission will prohibit even limited use of AI tools to enhance content, such as improving image quality.The European Parliament has also issued internal guidance on generative AI, “emphasizing vigilance regarding inherent risks,” another spokesperson claimed.The policy arises from the ongoing expansion of AI-generated media online, with estimates indicating that millions of deepfake videos circulated last year. As a result, political communication has been increasingly affected, with manipulated content appearing in election campaigns across countries, including the Netherlands and Ireland.Critics of the EU’s approach argue that avoiding AI-generated content may also reduce opportunities to educate the public. Under the bloc’s AI regulations, synthetic media must be labelled and watermarked, and this, some argue, could be shown through its responsible use.In the changing world of digital communication, the EU’s move is part of the wider debate over balancing credibility with the need to embrace new forms of political communication driven by AI.The EU's move stands in contrast to developments in the US, where President Donald Trump uses AI-generated content in public communication, including on his social media platform. There have also been experiments by some EU states, with uses varying from awareness campaigns in Germany to political communications in Hungary. Recently, the German Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, posted a digitally altered video of himself to illustrate the potential uses and misuses of the technology.