EU STRUGGLES TO DEFINE DEEPFAKES AS RETAILERS PUSH BACK

Eurocommerce, representing major retailers including Amazon, H&M, and IKEA, is lobbying the EU to exclude AI-generated advertising from deepfake regulations under the AI Act. The group contends that synthetic product images—like computer-rendered living rooms for furniture sales—fall outside the deepfake definition. Zalando reports that 90 percent of its marketing content is already AI-generated, highlighting the scale of the issue. The lack of clear definitions creates a regulatory gap: if AI-generated ads aren't classified as deepfakes, they could bypass transparency requirements meant to inform consumers about synthetic content. The EU's AI Act requires transparency for manipulated media, but its deepfake definition remains vague. Retailers argue that product visualization differs fundamentally from deceptive deepfakes impersonating real people. However, consumer advocates worry that loosening rules on AI-generated marketing content could normalize synthetic media without disclosure, leaving shoppers unaware they're viewing artificially created images.