UK proposes allowing tech firms to train AI on copyrighted works

Photo Credit: Paul Hanaoka

Campaigners for the protection of creatives’ rights are critical of a UK Govt. proposal to let AI companies train their models on copyrighted works.

A UK government proposal to let AI companies train their models on copyrighted works under a new exemption has campaigners for protecting creatives’ rights up in arms. The new proposal would allow tech companies to freely use copyrighted material to train artificial intelligence models unless creative professionals and companies opt out.

Book publishers called the proposal “entirely untested and unevidenced,” while crossbencher campaigning to protect artists’ rights, Beeban Kidron, said she was “very disappointed.” Kidron said, “The government is consulting on giving away the creativity and livelihoods of the UK creative sector, which is worth £126 billion a year.”

“There has been no objective case made for a new copyright exception, nor has a watertight rights-reservation process been outlined anywhere around the globe,” said Dan Conway, chief executive of the Publishers Association. He added it was important to “ensure that the content ecosystem, including publishers, is properly commercially incentivized to invest in high-value content and that rights holders can retain their fundamental control of how and when a work is used.”

On Tuesday, news organizations came out against such a system, saying it would allow generative AI firms to “shirk their responsibilities.” Campaigners for creatives assert such a system would “probably only benefit the largest rights holders,” leaving small and mid-sized creators exposed to unfair practices.

“News publishers deserve control over when and how their content is used, and crucially, fair remuneration for its use,” said Owen Meredith, chief executive of News Media Association. “Instead of proposing unworkable systems such as the ‘rights reservations’ (or opt-out) regime, the government should focus on implementing transparency requirements within the existing copyright framework.”

Data protection minister Chris Bryant MP said the proposal was a “win-win” for both sides. “This is about giving greater control in a difficult and complex set of circumstances for creators and rights holders, and we intend it to lead to more licensing of content, which is potentially a new revenue stream for creators.”

The consultation for the proposal will seek views on whether there is a need for a “right of personality” as in the United States, that will protect celebrities from having their voice or likeness replicated by AI without permission.