UK creative industries under threat as AI won’t be subject to copyright rules
The UK government is under mounting pressure to scrap plans that would grant artificial intelligence (AI) developers free access to use copyrighted artistic materials in training their AI algorithms.
Last June, the government’s Intellectual Property Office (IPO) proposed a copyright exemption for the AI industry that would allow the unrestricted use of existing music, literature and art “for any purpose”.
But MPs warned in a report today that this planned exemption shows “a clear lack of understanding” of the UK’s creative industries.
Dame Caroline Dinenage MP, chair of the Culture, Media and Sport (CMS) Committee said a “chorus of warnings” from musicians, authors and artists on the potential harm caused by a failure to protect their intellectual property from AI “should be enough for ministers to sit up and take notice.”
“The government must now start to rebuild trust by showing it really understands where the creative industries are coming from and develop a copyright and regulatory regime that properly protects them as AI continues to disrupt traditional cultural production,” Dinenage added.
Many creative industries, especially music and film, are currently concerned about the potential for AI developers to exploit private intellectual property without fairly paying the original creators – one of the main reasons behind the current Hollywood actors’ strike.
The Performing Right Society (PRS) for Music, which collects and distributes money on behalf of artists, said: “We welcome the recommendations of the Select Committee and their recognition that copyright must properly reward creativity.
“The Committee made a strong statement that there must be no ingestion of creative works by AI systems without the agreement of rightsholders. We strongly endorse this view.
“We look forward to working with government, the wider creative sector and AI companies to ensure technological growth.”
A government spokesperson said: “We will take a balanced and pragmatic approach to the use of AI across creative industries, which allows both AI innovators and our world-leading creative industries sector to continue to grow.
“We are working closely with stakeholders to understand the impact AI has on broadcasters, publishers and creative businesses.”