Anthropic's Claude AI to Start Watermarking AI-Generated Content Globally
Claude, the artificial intelligence model developed by Anthropic, will soon start watermarking its generated content. This move is in compliance with EU rules, specifically Article 50(2) of the EU AI Act, which requires transparency in AI-generated content. The company has signed the Code of Practice on Transparency of AI-Generated Content and outlined how it plans to implement these regulations.
In a support document, Anthropic explained that models launched in the European Union (EU) after August 2, 2026, will have watermarking capabilities at launch. This includes output from various Claude platforms such as the API, Code, Cowork, and Tag. The watermarks will be embedded in generated text files and include digitally signed provenance metadata for supported file types.
The watermarking feature is not limited to Europe; it will be applied globally wherever Claude is offered. However, Anthropic notes that some platforms or features might not support certain types of watermarks. This means users may still encounter AI-generated content without visible watermarks if they don’t know what to look for.
For text files, the watermark will be integrated into the generated text itself and travel with it when copied or pasted elsewhere. For images and other file formats, Anthropic plans to use the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA) open standard. Details on recognizing these watermarks are expected in forthcoming documentation.
Existing models launched before August 2, 2026, will also receive watermarking support at a later time. However, it’s worth noting that watermarking may not be foolproof. Heavily edited or translated text might not carry detectable watermarks, and metadata can be stripped through format conversion or other means.
Anthropic’s move follows similar commitments by AI companies like OpenAI, Google, and Meta. This development aims to increase transparency in AI-generated content and help users identify the origin of such material.