The Creative Rights in AI Coalition is calling on the government to adopt three key principles as a framework for developing AI policy, in relation to copyright and generative AI.

Businesses backing the Coalition span various sectors including magazines and special interest titles, publishers, art, music, photography, and industry unions and trade bodies.

The launch of the Coalition is accompanied by the publication of new nationally representative public polling from Reset Tech and YouGov. The results found that the public overwhelmingly back transparency in the training of AI models and the payment of royalties to content owners by tech firms.

72% per cent of respondents said AI companies should be required to pay royalties to the creators of text, audio, or video that they use to train AI models, while 80% said AI companies should be required to make public all the information that their models have been trained on.

In a joint statement, the Coalition said: “The UK’s world-leading creative and tech sectors put it in a unique position to set a global standard for how both can innovate together and continue to provide high quality services. Protecting copyright and building a dynamic licensing market for the use of creative content in building generative AI isn’t just a question of fairness: it’s the only way that both sectors will flourish and grow. The UK creative industries generate well over £100 billion annually. We have, quite literally, earned the right to have our voice heard. The key to that success, and future growth, is copyright law.”

What is the latest from the government?

Recently the government released their AI Opportunities Action Plan. The plan, commissioned by Matt Clifford CBE, provides a series of recommendations on how the UK can boost efforts in widespread AI adoption.

With specific reference to copyright, the action plan recommends:

• Reforming the UK Text and Data Mining (TDM) Regime
  The report suggests that intellectual property uncertainties are hindering innovation and AI development while also affecting the growth of the creative sector.
  
• Establishing a Copyright-Cleared Dataset
  The report suggests creating a British media asset training data set, licensed internationally. This initiative would involve collaboration with cultural institutions such as the National Archives, Natural History Museum, British Library, and the BBC. The goal is to develop a commercial model for sharing cultural data to advance AI.

The Prime Minister has suggested the government may want to move forward with all the recommendations provided. However, this contradicts the purpose of the ongoing AI and copyright consultation, which was launched to gather views on creating a suitable framework for Generative AI training.

PPA to consult the government to ensure members’ voices are heard

The PPA is concerned by the action plan as it does not take into consideration the importance and value of protecting the intellectual property of the creative sector. The PPA are responding to the AI and Copyright Consultation, and has been engaging with our broad membership, as well as stakeholders to inform our response and ensure it reflects the specialist publishing sector’s concerns.

If you have any questions or would like to find out more, contact our Head of Policy and Public Affairs, Eilidh.wilson@ppa.co.uk

Lend your voice by writing to your MP

The Creative Rights in AI Coalition has made it quick and simple to write to your MP by generating templates you can download. The PPA is encouraging members to make use of this resource to send clear message to MPs that creatives oppose the weakening of copyright protections for the benefit of AI firms, and want our rights to be protected.

You can read more about The Creative Rights in AI Coalition here, including organisations that are members.