The House of Lords’ Digital and Communications Committee has published a report making a series of recommendations to the government about AI and copyright. Of particular interest to the PPA, it has urged the government to:

• Rule out a broad commercial  Text and Data Mining (TDM) exception
  The Government should not weaken copyright protections or introduce new exceptions for AI training – following the Australian government’s example, publicly ruling out this approach.
  
  
• Publish a clear policy framework
  The Government should finalise its approach to AI and copyright within 12 months, prioritising the long-term health of the UK’s creative industries and domestic AI sector.
  
  
• Enforce transparency requirements
  The report recommends implementing statutory transparency obligations for large AI developers, supported by a regulatory body to enforce compliance, ensure meaningful disclosures, and facilitate effective licensing and enforcement.
  
  
• Focus on creating market conditions
  The Government should prioritise creating conditions for a thriving licensing market rather than relying on a single marketplace initiative like the Creative Content Exchange (CCE).
  
  
• Support diverse licensing models
  Develop a licensing ecosystem accessible to rightsholders and AI developers of all sizes, including collective licensing schemes.
  
  

The Government must formally respond to this report, addressing the recommendations, within two months.

In the meantime, the Government must fulfil its statutory obligation to update Parliament on its progress regarding AI and copyright by Wednesday 18 March, including the publication of an economic impact assessment. However, reports in the Financial Times suggest the Government is unlikely to propose immediate legislative or regulatory changes, opting instead to announce further consultations on these issues.

The PPA continue to engage with government and regulatory stakeholders on these matters, and is collaborating with coalition partners on the MakeItFair campaign. To speak with our team about AI and copyright, please contact eilidh.wilson@ppa.co.uk