The government should proceed with plans for a copyright
exception for AI training and take more creative steps to support
the UK's arts industries, according to a new paper.
"Rebooting copyright: How the UK can be a global leader in the
Arts and AI"', published today by the Institute for Global Change
(TBI), argues that a shift in focus is needed from a zero-sum ‘AI
vs creativity' debate to a plus-sum game in which the UK is home
to both cutting-edge AI development and a flourishing creative
sector.
According to TBI's new report, the question is not whether
generative AI will transform creative industries, but how to make
this transition beneficial for all stakeholders. The paper argues
that there are better ways to help creators flourish in the AI
age than strict copyright laws, including support in honing new
skills, accessing compute infrastructure, and developing new
business models.
The TBI report is co-authored with leading experts, creators and
legal scholars, including Amanda Brock, CEO of OpenUK, and
Professor Mick Grierson, Head of Research at University of the
Arts London's (UAL) Creative Computing Institute.
The paper's foreword is written by music producer Professor
Fernando Garibay, who has worked with artists including Lady
Gaga, U2, Whitney Houston and Britney Spears.
Commenting on the report, Garibay
said:
“There is no inherent opposition between technology and the
creative industries. In fact, the future of art will inevitably
be infused and shaped by AI and other data-driven
technologies.”
The authors argue that the government should adopt a proactive
approach to supporting the creative industries in the transition
into the AI era, including through the creation of a ‘Centre for
AI and Creative Industries' (CACI) to drive collaboration between
the two sectors. They also argue that Ministers should establish
a dedicated remuneration fund for the creative industries via the
tech sector, generating ring-fenced funding both for the CACI and
the UK's arts bodies.
Mick Grierson, Professor of Computer Science & Head
of Research at Creative Computing Institute, UAL, said:
"A national Centre for AI in the Creative Industries would
unite scientists, creatives, and policy experts, driving UK
growth through new technology, infrastructure, and training. This
aligns with the Creative Computing Institute's decade-long
leadership in AI within the creative industries, and I believe it
presents a unique opportunity for both sectors to benefit through
the development of a dedicated, collaborative technology and
creative industries ecosystem."
The paper provides the most comprehensive plan to date for how a
text-and-data mining exception, proposed by the Intellectual
Property Office (IPO), could work in practice. It lays out the
measures needed to give rightsholders control– including a fully
workable, real-terms opt-out – while generating new funding and
creative collaboration opportunities.
In doing so, TBI argues overly restrictive copyright policies may
inadvertently push AI development overseas and do little to
protect jobs or encourage innovation. Countries like the US,
Japan, and South Korea already allow broader access to data for
AI training, without seeing their arts sectors disappear.
Jakob Mökander, Director of Science and Technology Policy
at TBI, said:
“The current debate is too often framed as a zero-sum game,
in which AI developers and rights holders are locked in
competition for limited resources. This misrepresents the nature
of the challenge and the opportunity before us. The UK can and
should be home to both cutting-edge AI development and a
flourishing creative sector.
“Today, the application of UK copyright law to the training
of AI models is contested. This lack of clarity harms all
stakeholders, including creators, rights holders, AI developers
and society at large. Bold policy solutions are needed to provide
all parties with legal clarity and unlock investments that spur
innovation, job creation and economic growth.
“The Government is right to prioritise the proposals in the
AI Opportunities Action Plan, and drive forward in making the UK
a world-leader in AI. A text and data mining exception with the
possibility for rights holders to opt out is the best way to
ensure we can remain at the forefront.”
As a result, the report argues, we can secure the future of two
of the UK's most important industries.
“This technology is here now, and it is here to stay”,
Mökander continues. “If we spend our time fighting it, rather
than adapting, no-one will win. What is needed now is a proper
conversation about the guardrails needed to support the UK's
cultural sector.”
You can find an advance copy of the report (embargoed until
0001 2nd April) here
