A powerful coalition of British creative industries has come out in fierce opposition to a government proposal that would create a new copyright exemption for artificial intelligence companies. The controversial plan, announced by ministers this week, would allow AI firms to freely train their algorithms on published creative works without seeking permission from rights holders – unless those owners actively opt out.
The Creative Rights in AI Coalition (Crac), which represents thousands of writers, musicians, photographers, filmmakers and media outlets, swiftly rejected the proposed copyright carve-out. In a joint statement, the influential group insisted that existing copyright laws must be respected and enforced, not undermined by special exemptions for the AI industry.
Coalition Demands Copyright Protection
Crac’s members span a wide cross-section of the UK creative economy, including:
- Music industry: British Phonographic Industry, Independent Society of Musicians
- Publishing and media: Guardian, Financial Times, Telegraph, Daily Mail, Newsquest
- Visual arts: Getty Images, Motion Picture Association, Society of Authors
- Online communities: Mumsnet
These creative powerhouses argue that the burden should be on AI companies to proactively seek licenses and pay for the copyrighted data they use to train their increasingly sophisticated algorithms. They want the government to uphold and enforce existing laws, not create loopholes that allow tech giants to exploit artists’ works for free.
Rights holders do not support the new exception to copyright proposed. In fact, rights holders consider that the priority should be to ensure that current copyright laws are respected and enforceable.
Creative Rights in AI Coalition joint statement
High-Profile Artists Join Campaign
The coalition’s stance has been bolstered by the support of major British artists like Paul McCartney and Kate Bush. They recently joined over 37,500 people in signing a petition warning that “the unlicensed use of creative works for training generative AI is a major, unjust threat to the livelihoods of the people behind those works.”
Other notable signatories include novelists like Kate Mosse and actors such as Stephen Fry, Hugh Bonneville and Julianne Moore. Together, they are pushing for amendments to the UK’s data protection bill that would allow stricter enforcement of copyright online and give creators more leverage to negotiate fair payment for AI training data.
Government Defends “Pro-Innovation” Policy
Despite the creative backlash, ministers are defending the proposed copyright exemption as necessary to keep the UK competitive in AI. Technology and culture minister Chris Bryant told parliament that without broader access to training data, international AI developers could leave Britain’s creative industries “significantly disadvantaged.”
The UK tech industry lobby has echoed these concerns, calling for a more permissive copyright regime to enable AI innovation and new licensing models. But creative rights advocates say the government has fully “drunk the Kool-Aid” and is prioritizing Big Tech over independent artists.
I struggle to think of another situation where someone protected by law must proactively wrap it around themselves on an individual basis.
Baroness Beeban Kidron, proposer of stricter copyright amendments
The Path Forward for AI and Copyright
As the consultation period on the government’s plan begins, the stage is set for an intense lobbying battle between the UK’s creative and tech sectors. Artists argue that protecting intellectual property is essential to spur a dynamic AI market built on licensing, not “shoplifting.” But some AI proponents say broad copyright exemptions are needed to realize the technology’s full potential.
Ultimately, policymakers will need to strike a delicate balance between supporting AI innovation and safeguarding creators’ rights. With so many livelihoods, business models and ethical principles at stake, the outcome of this copyright debate could have profound implications – not just for the UK, but for the global creative economy in an age of artificial intelligence.
