UK copyright law consultation ‘fixed’ in favour of AI firms, peer says Exclusive: Beeban Kidron says plans will lead to ‘wholesale’ transfer of wealth from creative industries to tech sector.
Campaigners for the protection of the rights of creative professionals have come out against the government proposal to allow AI companies to train the models on copyrighted work – unless creatives opt out of the process in what the government is calling a “rights reservation” system.
The amendments, which can be removed by the government in the Commons, subject AI companies to UK copyright law wherever they are based and allow copyright owners to know when, where and how their work is used in AI systems.
The other options are: to leave the situation unchanged; require AI companies to seek licences for using copyrighted work; and allow AI firms to use copyrighted work with no opt-out for creative companies and individuals.
A consultation on changes to UK copyright law is “fixed” in favour of artificial intelligence companies and will lead to a “wholesale” transfer of wealth from the creative industries to the tech sector, according to a crossbench peer campaigning against the mooted overhauls.
