AI Content Labels: Expert Says Not Everything Needs a Stamp

A leading legal scholar from Moscow State University argues that while fully AI-generated films, videos, and music should carry clear labels, a blanket requirement to tag all AI-assisted content would go too far. Professor Viktor Vaipan, who heads the Department of Legal Informatics and Digital Law, shared his views with RIA Novosti, stressing that the role of the technology matters.

According to Vaipan, the key distinction is whether AI acted as the sole creator or just a helper. "If a video or piece of music is written entirely by artificial intelligence, that should be marked — it's clear and feasible," he said. But mandatory labeling for every project involving AI, such as a presentation or a student paper where the human set the direction and took responsibility, would be excessive and hard to enforce.

The professor noted that the government seems open to dropping a universal mandatory label, but that still leaves a need for rules ensuring transparency. He suggests companies should voluntarily disclose AI use when it truly matters to the consumer. "A company should honestly say: yes, we made these materials with AI. That calls for self-regulation," Vaipan explained. He also stressed that transparency applies to conversations — if you're buying a ticket and chatting with an AI bot, you deserve to know you're not talking to a real person.