In an effort to bring legal certainty to the creative and AI industries, the UK government has launched a consultation on proposals to clarify AI copyright legislation. The consultation will seek views from across both sectors as it works to develop a package of proposals that aim to clarify how copyrighted content is used in AI model training.
With both industries key to the recently announced Industrial Strategy, the government hopes growth will be driven by ensuring copyright holders are protected and AI development is supported to take place in an open and transparent environment.
The government added it believes that development is currently being stifled by uncertainty over how copyright laws apply to the training of AI models. To address this, it is proposing exemptions to the existing copyright law “for AI training for commercial purposes while allowing rights holders to reserve their rights, so they can control the use of their content.”
Under its proposals, the government believes content creators would gain “certainty and control” over the use of their content, enabling them to strike licensing deals with the AI industry. Developers would also be given certainty over what material they could use, ensuring wide access to content in the UK.
Launching the consultation, the government said further work would be needed before the measures could come into effect, ensuring standards and requirements for rights reservation and transparency are effective. It also stated the measures would be “fundamental to the effectiveness of any exception, and we would not introduce an exception without them.”
Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, Peter Kyle, said: “The UK has an incredibly rich and diverse cultural sector and a ground breaking tech sector which is pushing the boundaries of AI. It’s clear that our current AI and copyright framework does not support either our creative industries or our AI sectors to compete on the global stage.
“That is why we are setting out a balanced package of proposals to address uncertainty about how copyright law applies to AI so we can drive continued growth in the AI sector and creative industries, which will help deliver on our mission of the highest sustained growth in the G7 as part of our Plan for Change.
“This is all about partnership: balancing strong protections for creators while removing barriers to AI innovation; and working together across government and industry sectors to deliver this.”
Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Lisa Nandy, added: “This government firmly believes that our musicians, writers, artists and other creatives should have the ability to know and control how their content is used by AI firms and be able to seek licensing deals and fair payment. Achieving this, and ensuring legal certainty, will help our creative and AI sectors grow and innovate together in partnership.
“We stand steadfast behind our world-class creative and media industries which add so much to our cultural and economic life. We will work with them and the AI sector to develop this clearer copyright system for the digital age and ensure that any system is workable and easy-to-use for businesses of all sizes.”
The consultation is set to run for 10 weeks, closing on 25th February 2025
