It may be already over a year since the AI and Copyright Consultation received over 11,000 responses but the conversation is louder than ever.

Ahead of the anticipated report on the use of copyright works in AI development expected 18^th March 2026, ACID’s timely webinar All About AI – Recent Case Stories and What’s Next in 2026 discussed the upcoming insights, recent legal cases and ongoing challenges to originality and authorship.

If you didn’t register or attend our recent webinar, now is your opportunity to watch ACID Legal Affiliate, Robert Lands, Partner and Head of IP & Commercial at Howard Kennedy LLP, discuss everything you need to know about AI in 2026 and beyond:

In summary:

• IP rights are crucial for design led businesses. It is imperative you protect them.
• Gen AI raises issues of authorship, originality and infringement. It’s therefore important you keep detailed records.
• 2026 could bring some clarity on the direction of travel. Watch out for ACID’s communications.

So, how can you ensure you are doing as much as you can to protect your designs whilst these issues remain and we await clarity?

Robert’s advice is clear:

Firstly, register designs where possible. Remember, you have 12-month grace period from first sale or marketing and intentional infringement of a registered design is a criminal offence, thanks to ACID’s campaigning.

Secondly, keep detailed records of your design process. This evidence could prove crucial for any alleged copying in future.

ACID Member Top Tip: Record AI prompts and outputs your ACID IP Databank for that all important audit trail!

You should also read and understand the Terms and Conditions of AI tools used. Know where you stand and what the AI is doing and, if you are concerned or unsure, contact us for guidance and support.

Equally, your own contracts and Terms and Conditions should outline ownership and responsibilities, as well as providing that all important deterrent message to potential infringers and data scraping tools.

ACID Member Top Tip: make use of ACID’s deterrent message to compliment your IP warning statement:

I am [or We are] a member of Anti Copying In Design (ACID). The use of [my / our] work and the text and data on [my / our] website and social media accounts shall not be mined, scraped, used or reproduced in any manner for the purpose of the development, training or validation of artificial intelligence technologies or systems.  The provisions in this statement should be treated as an express reservation of [my/our] rights in this regard, and an opt out to any text and/or data mining exception from infringement. This includes, for the purposes of EU law, an opt out pursuant to Article 4(3) of the Directive on Copyright in the Digital Single Market ((EU) 2019/790).   This statement will not apply insofar as (but only to the extent that) [I am / we are] unable to exclude or limit text or data mining or web scraping activity by contract under the laws which are applicable to [me / us].

Dids Macdonald, ACID’s Chairman & Co-Founder and Director of Public Affairs, IP Policy & Campaigning said, “Since February last year we have joined many hundreds of thousands in the crusade to ensure that Government does not overlook or dilute creators’ IP rights in favour of “Global Big Tech”. We are steadfast in our continual lobbying that attribution, transparency and recompense must be at the heart of UK AI and IP policy for growth”

Finally, be careful what you feed to AI! If you have any concerns or queries, contact [email protected].