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How to Disclose AI Use on Your Website: Examples and Templates (2026)

7 min read

EU AI Act enforcement started August 2, 2026. GDPR has been enforced since 2018. FTC guidelines on AI transparency apply to US companies. The question is no longer whether you need to disclose AI use on your website — it's whether you're doing it correctly.

This page gives you copy-paste templates for every scenario: chatbot disclosures, AI content labels, privacy policy language, and a full AI policy page. Use them as-is or adapt them to your situation.

What You Need to Disclose

There are four distinct disclosure requirements, each governed by different rules:

If your site has…You need…Law
A chatbot or AI chat widgetChatbot disclosure in the chat interfaceEU AI Act Art. 50(1)
AI-generated images, audio, or videoMachine-readable content labelEU AI Act Art. 50(4)
AI tools that process user dataPrivacy policy AI sectionGDPR Art. 13–14
AI-generated product recommendationsDisclosure of automated decision logicGDPR Art. 22
Any AI use (as best practice)Public AI policy pageEU AI Act, FTC guidelines

Chatbot Disclosure Templates

EU AI Act Article 50(1) is specific: the disclosure must appear before or at the start of the interaction. It must be clear and conspicuous — not buried in a settings page or terms of service.

Option 1 — Chat header label (recommended)

Best for: all chatbots. Persistent, impossible to miss.

<!-- Chat widget header -->

<div class="chat-header">

<span class="ai-badge">AI</span>

<span>Support Assistant</span>

</div>

<p class="chat-disclaimer">You are chatting with an AI assistant, not a human.</p>

Option 2 — First message disclosure

Best for: conversational AI assistants where the first message sets context.

First message from AI:

“Hi! I'm an AI assistant. I can help you with questions about our products and services. For complex issues, I'll connect you with our human support team. How can I help you today?”

Option 3 — Pre-chat disclosure screen

Best for: when you want explicit user acknowledgment before conversation starts.

Before you start

You're about to chat with an AI assistant powered by [model/provider]. This is not a human. Conversations may be reviewed to improve our service.

[Continue] button — user clicks to proceed

What does NOT work

  • A disclosure buried in your terms of service or privacy policy
  • A footnote at the bottom of the page
  • Disclosure only on a help page, not in the chat widget itself
  • A generic “powered by AI” mention on the About page

AI Content Label Templates

EU AI Act Article 50(4) targets AI-generated content designed to appear authentic — primarily synthetic images, audio, and video. For text content, best practice is to disclose when content is substantially AI-generated.

Blog post / article label

Minimal version:

AI-assisted content

Standard version:

Written with AI assistance. Reviewed and edited by [Author Name].

Full version (recommended for substantial AI content):

This article was drafted using AI tools and reviewed by our editorial team. AI-generated drafts are fact-checked against primary sources before publication.

AI-generated image label

Visible label (required for authentic-appearing images):

Alt text approach:

<img src="image.jpg" alt="[Description] — AI-generated image" />

Visible caption approach:

<figcaption>AI-generated illustration</figcaption>

Privacy Policy AI Language

GDPR Articles 13 and 14 require disclosure of how you process personal data — including through AI systems. Add a dedicated section to your privacy policy:

Template: AI Systems and Automated Processing

AI tools we use: Our website uses AI-powered tools including [list specific tools, e.g., AI chat support, AI-generated content, analytics AI]. These tools may process data you provide or data collected automatically from your interactions.

What data AI systems process: [Specify: e.g., chat messages, browsing behavior, preferences, contact information].

Legal basis: [Specify: e.g., legitimate interests (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR), consent (Art. 6(1)(a)), or contract performance].

Automated decisions: [If applicable: We use automated decision-making for [purpose]. You have the right to request human review of any automated decision that significantly affects you. Contact us at [email] to exercise this right.]

Data transfers: [If applicable: Some AI tools transfer data to providers based outside the EU. These transfers are protected by [Standard Contractual Clauses / adequacy decision / other mechanism].]

AI Policy Page Template

A dedicated AI policy page is the clearest way to demonstrate transparency to both users and regulators. It's referenced in EU AI Act Article 13 transparency requirements and is increasingly expected during regulatory review.

The page should cover: what AI systems you use, their purpose, what data they process, and how users can opt out or get human review. Rather than writing this from scratch, use our AI policy generator — it creates a policy tailored to your specific scan results.

Where to Place Each Disclosure

Chat widget

Persistent label in the chat header on every page where chat appears

Required

Blog posts with AI content

Top or bottom of the article, before or after the main content

Best practice

AI-generated images

Alt text or visible caption on every image

Required for authentic-appearing media

Privacy policy

Dedicated AI section — not buried in generic data processing language

Required (GDPR)

Footer

Link to your AI policy page alongside Privacy Policy and Terms

Recommended

Not sure what your site needs to disclose?

SiteProof AI scans your website and identifies exactly which disclosures are missing — chatbot labels, AI content tags, privacy policy gaps — and where to add them.

Scan your site free →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a chatbot disclosure legally required?

Yes. EU AI Act Article 50(1) requires that any AI system interacting with humans must inform users they are talking to AI before or at the start of the interaction. This applies to all websites accessible to EU users, regardless of where the company is based.

Does AI-generated blog content need a label?

Under EU AI Act Article 50(4), AI-generated content designed to appear authentic must be machine-readable labeled. For text that is clearly editorial, labels are best practice but the requirement is focused on synthetic media (AI images, audio, video) that could deceive users.

Where should the chatbot disclosure appear?

The disclosure must appear before or at the very start of the interaction. A persistent label in the chat header is the safest approach. Disclosures buried in terms of service or settings do not satisfy the requirement.

What language should I use in the disclosure?

The disclosure must be clear and understandable to the user. Plain language like 'I am an AI assistant' is sufficient. You do not need legal jargon. The key requirement is that it is conspicuous and appears before the user engages.

Does my privacy policy need to mention AI?

Yes, under GDPR Articles 13 and 14. If your AI tools process personal data, your privacy policy must disclose what AI systems collect data, the legal basis for processing, the purpose, and whether data is transferred outside the EU.

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