Starting 2025, South Korea's cracking down on AI-generated ads in a way that could reshape digital marketing. Advertisers will be legally required to slap clear labels on anything created with artificial intelligence—think deepfaked celebrity endorsements or fabricated "experts" pushing supplements and sketchy products.

The move comes as authorities grapple with an explosion of deceptive promotions. We're talking fake doctors recommending miracle cures, AI-cloned influencers hawking questionable food products, you name it. The line between real and synthetic has gotten dangerously blurry.

What's interesting here? This isn't just about consumer protection—it's a signal that regulators are finally catching up to generative AI's potential for manipulation. Whether it's fake testimonials or entirely fabricated scenarios, the tech's been weaponized for profit.

For the Web3 crowd, there's a parallel worth noting. Just as deepfakes can trick consumers in traditional advertising, AI-generated content poses similar risks in crypto marketing—fake founder videos, synthetic project endorsements, fabricated community testimonials. South Korea's approach might preview how other jurisdictions tackle AI transparency requirements across digital assets and decentralized platforms.

The regulation's teeth remain to be seen, but mandatory disclosure is step one. Whether enforcement keeps pace with AI's evolution? That's the real test.