AI video: rights, labelling and quality for a Swiss brand.
The Swiss laws reviewed for this guide do not prohibit producing an ad with AI. They govern the result: do not deceive the public (LCD), do not infringe the personality rights of a real person (Civil Code, art. 28), respect the works of others (LDA). If the video is shown in the European Union, the AI Act adds transparency obligations, applicable since 2 August 2026. Meta, TikTok and YouTube also have their own labeling rules.
This guide provides general information, up to date as of 6 October 2026. It is not legal advice. Each statement refers to the official text. Have your case checked by a lawyer before a major campaign.
Which rules apply to an AI video in Switzerland?
| Topic | What the law says | What it means for your video |
|---|---|---|
| Copyright LDA, art. 2, 6, 10, 16 | A work is an intellectual creation with individual character. The author is the natural person who created it. The author alone decides whether, when and how the work is used. These rights are transferable. | The script, storyboard and editing are human work. For the rest, settle usage rights by contract. Do not use a third party's work (music, image, character) without permission. |
| Personality and image Civil Code (CC), art. 28 | Anyone whose personality rights are unlawfully infringed may take legal action. The infringement is unlawful unless justified by consent, an overriding interest or law. | No face or voice of a real person without their consent, preferably in writing. |
| Fair advertising LCD, art. 2 and 3 | Any conduct that is deceptive or otherwise contrary to good faith is unfair. This covers in particular inaccurate or misleading statements about one's products, disparagement and the risk of confusion with others. | The product shown must be the product sold. No fake testimonials. No imitation of a competitor. |
Who owns an AI-generated video?
Swiss law ties copyright to a natural person and to an intellectual creation with individual character. A shot taken straight from an AI model does not necessarily meet these conditions. The law says nothing more specific about AI in the articles cited: it is therefore the contract that provides certainty.
In a production quote, look for three lines: authorized media, duration and territories. Ryze AI Studios specifies them in its quote. Under Article 16, unless otherwise agreed, transferring one right does not imply transferring the others.
Can you use the face or voice of a real person?
Only with their consent. Article 28 of the Civil Code protects personality rights, and Article 28a allows the person to ask the court to prohibit the infringement, stop it or declare it unlawful.
The platforms point the same way. TikTok does not allow, even with a label, AI-generated content that falsely shows a public figure in certain contexts, for example endorsing a product or a cause, nor content that uses the likeness of a minor or of a private adult without their permission. YouTube requires disclosure of a video that makes a real person say or do something they did not say or do. At the studio, a real face is only used with the consent of the person concerned.
Is an “AI-generated” disclosure mandatory?
It depends on where the video is shown.
In Switzerland
The three laws cited above do not require an “AI” disclosure as such. They penalize deception: a video that suggests a real customer or a feature the product does not have is a problem, disclosure or not.
In the European Union
The Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 on AI also covers providers and deployers established in a third country when the output produced by the AI system is used in the Union (art. 2, para. 1, let. c). Its Article 50 provides in particular that:
- providers of systems that generate image, video, audio or text content mark that content in a machine-readable format (para. 2);
- anyone using an AI system in a professional capacity to produce a deep fake discloses that the content has been generated or manipulated. A deep fake is content that resembles existing persons, objects, places or events and would falsely appear to be authentic (para. 4 and art. 3, point 60) ;
- for evidently artistic, creative, satirical or fictional work, the obligation is limited to disclosing the existence of generated content in a way that does not hamper the work (para. 4);
According to the European Commission, these obligations have applied since 2 August 2026. A transitional rule exists: providers of systems already placed on the market before that date have until 2 December 2026 to comply with the marking requirement of paragraph 2 (art. 111, para. 4). Have it checked whether your campaign falls within its scope.
On the platforms
| Platform | What it requires | What it does if the rule is not followed |
|---|---|---|
| YouTube | Disclose any realistic content that is generated or significantly altered by AI. No disclosure is needed for clearly unrealistic content or a minor edit. | For repeated failure to disclose: content removal or suspension from the YouTube Partner Program. |
| TikTok | Label AI-generated content that contains realistic images, audio or video. TikTok may also apply the “AI-generated” label itself. | TikTok may remove unlabeled or misleading AI-generated content. |
| Meta (Facebook, Instagram) | Meta shows an “AI info” label when it detects industry-standard AI indicators or when the creator discloses AI-generated content. | Since September 2024, for content that is only edited with AI, the label has moved to the post's menu. |
These rules change often: reread each network's help page before a campaign.
How do you recognize a quality AI video?
The public has a word for sloppy AI video: “AI slop”. Here is what you can check yourself.
- Before any rendering: a script and a storyboard. Without an approved story, the video has not been thought through.
- The product. Shape, color, logo, label text: compare shot by shot with the real product.
- The characters. Same face, same clothes from one shot to the next. Look at the hands and teeth.
- On-screen text. Signs, screens, packaging: unreadable or made-up text gives away an unchecked shot.
- Movement. Objects that warp, backgrounds that slide, weightless gestures.
- Sound. Voice in sync with the lips, music with cleared rights, proofread subtitles.
- Editing. A rhythm, color grading consistent across all shots, an ending that says what to do.
What should you check in the contract before signing?
- Usage rights: media, duration, territories, paid advertising included or not.
- Written consent for every real person, logo and product shown.
- Who decides on the AI disclosure and who applies it on each network.
- Approval stages: script, storyboard, final version.
- For a recurring character: who keeps its identity bible (see the page AI ambassador).
Frequently asked questions
Is an AI-generated ad legal in Switzerland?
The laws reviewed for this guide (LDA, Civil Code, LCD) do not prohibit the use of AI in advertising. They apply to the result as to any ad: no deception, no infringement of personality rights, no use of a work without the rights.
Who holds the copyright to an AI-generated video?
Under Swiss law, the author is the natural person who created the work, and the work must have individual character. The human part of a production (script, storyboard, editing) fits this logic. For the video as a whole, what counts are the usage rights written into the quote or contract.
Does the EU AI Act concern a Swiss SME?
It can: its Article 2 also covers operators established outside the Union when the output of the AI system is used in the Union. The transparency obligations of Article 50 have applied since 2 August 2026, according to the European Commission. The analysis depends on your specific situation.
Do you need to label an AI reel on Instagram or TikTok?
TikTok asks creators to label AI-generated content that contains realistic images, audio or video. Meta shows an “AI info” label when it detects AI signals or when you disclose it. The safest course is to disclose any realistic AI-generated content yourself.
Does Ryze AI Studios state that its videos are AI-generated?
Yes, where regulations require it, notably the EU AI Act. The studio advises on the appropriate disclosure for each network and use.
Read next
Sources
- Swiss Federal Act on Copyright and Related Rights (LDA, RS 231.1), art. 2, 6, 10 and 16, as of 1 July 2025: fedlex.admin.ch.
- Swiss Civil Code (CC, RS 210), art. 28 and 28a, as of 1 July 2026: fedlex.admin.ch.
- Swiss Federal Act against Unfair Competition (LCD, RS 241), art. 2 and 3, as of 1 January 2025: fedlex.admin.ch.
- Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 on artificial intelligence: eur-lex.europa.eu. Articles 2, 3, 50 and 111 accessed on the European Commission's AI Act Service Desk: ai-act-service-desk.ec.europa.eu.
- European Commission, code of practice on marking and labeling AI-generated content (date of application of Article 50): digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu.
- YouTube, “Disclosing use of altered or synthetic content”: support.google.com.
- TikTok, help page on AI-generated content: support.tiktok.com.
- Meta, “Our Approach to Labeling AI-Generated Content and Manipulated Media”, April 2024, updated July and September 2024: about.fb.com.
- Method and frequently asked questions of Ryze AI Studios, accessed on 6 October 2026.
Last updated: 6 October 2026