# OpenAI's textGrain watermark may struggle to meet EU AI text rules

> Original title: AI Text Watermarking May Not Be Able to Meet the EU’s New Rules

- Source: IEEE Spectrum · AI
- Published: 2026-11-05T15:00:03.000Z
- Bad Influence: https://badinfluence.news/items/dnigr2l0l7nsrkdbe0gqvc4ul
- Original: https://spectrum.ieee.org/ai-watermark-openai-textgrain-europe

## Summary

Tests on OpenAI's textGrain watermark show detection often fails after editing or when text is under 150 words. The EU AI Act's Article 50 requires machine-readable marking of AI-generated outputs, but its criteria lack measurable thresholds, so compliance is uncertain. Independent researchers have not yet evaluated textGrain, and OpenAI says watermarking alone is not enough.