The Technology and Culture Secretaries kick-started the next phase of work last week to help deliver a solution which will support AI innovation while ensuring robust protection for our creators and vibrant creative industries as part of the Plan for Change. Full press release here.

Following the Copyright and AI consultation launched in December which attracted 11,500 responses, The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT)  and The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), who represent very different sectors, seem to want to narrow the gap of division that has arisen between the creative industries and big tech which will drive forward practical, workable solutions to foster innovation and growth.

Representatives of the creative and AI sectors gathered in London in the first of a series of regular planned meetings with the groups made up of key industry figures. They include representatives of News Media Association, Alliance for IP (of which Anti Copying In Design (ACID) is a member), Sony Music Entertainment, Publishers Association, The Guardian, Open AI, Amazon and Meta.

Discussions marked the first in a series of planned talks, and will initially focus on the impacts, opportunities and common ground in the AI and copyright debate, with their work then helping to inform next steps following the conclusion of the government’s consultation.

Secretary of State for Science, Innovation, and Technology, Peter Kyle said, I am determined to harness expert insights from across the debate as we work together to deliver a solution that brings the legal clarity our creative industries and AI sector badly need in the digital age. Today’s meeting and the formation of these expert working groups will continue to ensure all voices can be heard so we can reset and refocus on how we can deliver precisely that. The work we’ll be taking forward in the coming months will ensure we can work in partnership to deliver a fresh start for creatives and AI developers alike”.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said, “Our world-class creative industries are a key part of our economy which create jobs and drive growth right across the country. These sectors have been recognised as a priority sector by the government, and I am fully focused on supporting them to flourish. We have heard loud and clear the concerns from the creative industries around AI and copyright and these roundtables will give us another chance to consider the best way forward. We have committed to ensuring a copyright regime that values and protects human creativity, can be trusted and unlocks new opportunities for innovation across the creative sector and wider economy.

Both sectors are a vital part of the government’s modern Industrial Strategy, and the AI and Copyright consultation considered a broad range of issues in the copyright debate, including how right holders can have a better understanding of how AI developers are using their material and how it has been obtained. The consultation also explored how access to high-quality data can be improved for AI developers, bolstering their ability to innovate and drive the growth which underpins the government’s Plan for Change”. 

Commenting on the talks, Dids Macdonald, Chair and Co-founder of ACID said, “The fact that these talks are being spearheaded by DSIT and DCMS is encouraging as our goal as part of the Creative Industries and original IP creators is to shift the narrative from “Us vs Them” to a shared understanding of AI use to ensure rightsholders are protected against unlawful and unfair use and can be fairly rewarded for the economic value of the work they create.

If AI developers are to access high quality content, within a culture of transparency, it must be ethical and fair. For DSIT and DCMS a clearer insight about the difference between paid and unpaid use of data in two very different business models, is critical”.

The talks will also contribute to finalising Terms of Reference for the expert working groups moving forward as they feed into wider discussions with both sectors.