The European Parliament approved on Tuesday June 16 the ban in the EU of artificial intelligence (AI) services allowing the “stripping” of people without their consent, a measure which will come into force at the end of 2026. MEPs approved a text including this ban by an overwhelming majority (423 against 57), during a session in Strasbourg. The measure now only requires the final approval of the 27 member states, who already gave their provisional agreement in May.
This initiative follows in particular the introduction six months ago of a functionality in Grok, Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence assistant, which allowed users to ask it to create hyperrealistic montages (or “deepfakes”) of naked adults and children, from real photos, without their consent. This affair caused an outcry in many countries and led to the opening of an EU investigation.
The ban will apply from December 2, 2026. On this date, AIs must be equipped with security measures preventing them from generating such content. Such systems “humiliate, degrade and treat like objects” their victims, who are “overwhelmingly women and children”, recalled Irish MP Michael McNamara (Renew, centre), during a debate on Monday in Strasbourg.
“Adapt to technological developments”
The measure was adopted as part of a review of European legislation on AI, or AI Act, a pioneering law formally adopted two years ago.
On this occasion, MEPs endorsed, as proposed by the European Commission, the postponement of the entry into force of new rules aimed at regulating “high-risk” AI, that is to say systems used in sensitive areas such as security, health or fundamental rights.
These rules were supposed to apply in August, but Brussels wanted to give businesses more time to adapt. They will now have until December 2, 2027 to do so, with regard to autonomous high-risk systems, and until August 2, 2028 for AI integrated into other programs or products.
With this vote, the EU demonstrates “that it takes the development of AI seriously, and that public policies can adapt quickly to technological developments”, underlined Swedish MP Arba Kokalari (EPP, right).
