🕵️‍♂️ Leaked: EU Plans Mandatory Licensing for All AI Models by 2026

🚨 Exclusive: Leaked Draft Reveals Radical EU Move to Control AI Development

In a shocking leak obtained by AI24-News.com, a confidential draft document from the European Commission reveals plans to introduce mandatory licensing for all AI foundation models operating within the EU by mid-2026. This goes far beyond the current voluntary “AI Code of Practice” and signals the most aggressive regulatory stance yet taken against the AI industry.

The proposal, code-named Project NEURALSHIELD, would require:

• All AI models above 10 billion parameters to be registered and licensed
• Real-time monitoring APIs to allow regulators to audit output
• Mandatory European hosting for LLMs operating in critical sectors

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🔍 Why This Matters

If enacted, this would directly impact models such as GPT-4o (OpenAI), Gemini 2.5 (Google), Grok 4 (xAI), and Claude 3.5 (Anthropic)—none of which are currently licensed in the EU under this framework.

A leaked line from the draft reads:

“Unlicensed cognitive systems will be considered informational hazards and treated as black-box threats to European informational sovereignty.”

The move is reportedly backed by multiple EU member states citing national security concerns, especially after reports surfaced in 2024 of foreign LLMs hallucinating politically sensitive content.

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📊 What Could Change

Requirement	Current Status	Under NEURALSHIELD
Voluntary registration	Optional (2025)	Mandatory (2026)
External audit mechanisms	Absent	Required
Hosting location	Global CDN	EU-only for gov AI
Open weights (research use)	Allowed w/ disclosure	Heavily restricted

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🎤 Industry Backlash Begins

Executives from multiple AI labs have reportedly met in Brussels this week to form a lobbying alliance. One source close to the talks claims:

“If this passes, the EU will lose access to frontier AI models—big players will geo-fence their services.”

Meanwhile, privacy advocates like NOYB.eu support the draft, saying the plan is long overdue to control AI’s “informational toxicity.”

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🔮 What Happens Next?

An official announcement is expected at the AI Act expansion summit in Vienna (August 21–22, 2025). If the draft holds, all AI developers operating in the EU will need to apply for a license by Q1 2026.

The implications are massive. From OpenAI’s deployment in health care to Meta’s AI avatars in the metaverse—every system may need a regulatory passport to operate in Europe.

Stay tuned as AI24-News investigates the full scope of this potential revolution in AI governance.

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🧠 Recommended Articles:

• OpenAI Enhances Security Against Foreign Espionage
• EU Releases Voluntary AI Code of Practice
• Google Offers $340,000 to Attract Top AI Talent
• Grok 4 Added to Tesla Robotaxis Amidst Controversy

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Reporting by AI24-News.com Investigative Desk – Real Intelligence on Artificial Developments