On May 7, EU co-legislators reached a provisional agreement to ban 'nudifier apps' under the Digital Omnibus on AI. These tools use generative AI to create sexual images of individuals without their consent, with 96% of such images made without the subject's knowledge. MEP Michael McNamara from Renew Europe noted the law previously had a 'lacuna' in addressing deepfakes, making the Omnibus a key opportunity for action.
The ban targets AI creators, requiring them to build permanent safety blocks into their systems to prevent generation of non-consensual explicit content. Companies face fines up to €35 million or 7% of global turnover for non-compliance. By December 2, 2026, all providers must prove their systems meet these safety standards or face market removal.
Elon Musk's X faced scrutiny after chatbot Grok created 6,700 sexualized images per hour in early 2026, prompting a European Commission investigation. Restrictions were implemented, but users still find ways to bypass filters.
German Greens MEP Sergey Lagodinsky emphasized shifting responsibility to technology builders: 'We cannot enforce human behavior here. So, we are going against the technology itself.' The agreement empowers national authorities to pull unsafe AI products from the EU market.