Different parts of the UK’s creative industries were campaigning ahead fo the close of the UK government’s consultation on copyright and AI, with a range of initaitives to alert the public to the potential impact weakening copyright for the benefit of AI companies.
The IPA submitted its own response which was endorsed by 12 other publishers’ associations. Catriona MacLeod Stevenson, Co-chair of the IPA’s Copyright Committee and deputy CEO of the Publishers Association said: This is a generationally important moment not just for the UK, but for creative sectors the world over. In recent years, we’ve seen growing evidence of bad actors dominating the AI landscape, using the current lack of regulation – or lack of enforcement – for their own economic gain. In responding to the UK government’s copyright and AI consultation, we have argued that we can have AI innovation and growth without completely overturning our gold standard copyright regime and without sitting idly by while content is taken without permission or payment.
“It is heartening to see the international publishing community, rallied by the International Publishers Association, come together at this critical time to highlight valuable arguments, evidence and learning on international copyright law which the UK government should take into account.”
Speaking ahead of the close of the consultation, UK Publishers Association CEO Dan Conway said:
“The extraordinary strength of support shown in recent weeks for copyright and our world-class creative industries is something the Government ignores at its peril. When Booker, Grammy, Oscar, and Nobel prize winners are united in calling on the Government for a fair hearing, we have to hope they listen.
“Publishing is a growth industry supporting tens of thousands of highly skilled jobs nationwide. We already contribute £11 billion to the UK economy and are central to creative industries growth and UK research and development and are early adopters of AI technology to equip the readers and learners of the future.
“The message to government is clear: the great copyright heist cannot go unchallenged. Big Tech needs to pay for the creative and research content they hoover up to train AI, just as they pay for their electricity and other normal costs of running a legally compliant business. We urgently need transparency regulations to lift the lid on AI usage to ensure that the huge opportunities that AI can bring are realised in a way that incentivises growth across the whole economy and is safe and ethical for those who use it.
“The UK is a content superpower and its creative industries, educational institutions, and academic research is the envy of the world. Establishing fair trading practices and encouraging partnership with – rather than subservience to – Big Tech is the way we lift all the boats and deliver for the UK.”