EU lawmakers back delaying AI Act rules and banning nudifier apps

In short: European Parliament committees approved a plan to delay some EU AI Act deadlines and to ban “nudifier” apps, and the full Parliament is set to vote on it today.

What happened

Two European Parliament committees, IMCO and LIBE, approved a package of changes to the EU AI Act on March 18, 2026. The vote was 101 in favor, 9 against, and 8 abstentions. The full European Parliament is scheduled to vote on this position on March 26, 2026.

The proposal would push back the dates when companies must follow extra rules for “high-risk” AI systems. High-risk AI means systems used in sensitive areas like hiring, credit scoring, or public services, where mistakes can affect people’s rights, safety, or access to opportunities. Under the committee-backed plan, many of these obligations would start on December 2, 2027, and another set would start on August 2, 2028.

The plan also adds a clear ban on “nudifier” apps. These are tools that use AI to create sexually explicit images of a person without that person’s consent.

Some other dates move in the opposite direction. A transparency rule would require a machine-readable watermark for AI-made content by November 2, 2026. A watermark is like a hidden label that computers can read, even if a person cannot.

Why it matters

This could change when new protections and paperwork requirements hit AI makers in Europe. It also signals tougher action on non-consensual sexual images, which can harm victims even when the images are fake.

The vote today does not make the changes final. If approved, it becomes Parliament’s starting position for negotiations with EU countries and the European Commission, and the final outcome could still change.

Source: The Verge AI