Big Tech MUST pay to use artists’ work for AI, MPs tell ministers

The Government’s proposal to give AI developers an exception to copyright law was dealt a blow yesterday after the Commons culture and tech select committees criticised the plan.

In a joint letter, Labour was warned its radical idea ‘should not be taken forward’ unless they find a ‘technical solution’.

The letter adds that ‘a way forward may not be agreed as quickly as ministers might hope’ as it called on copyright law to be enforced so creatives are paid.

Their submission to the Government’s consultation comes after a major campaign by the Daily Mail backed by the biggest stars and industry leaders in music, art, film and literature urged a rethink.

For the two most important committees scrutinising the plan to echo the Mail’s call means it will now be very difficult for Labour to take it forward in its current form.

In another damning verdict, Britain’s only AI trade body also came out against the copyright exception yesterday – saying it would do little to help our AI sector.

Tim Flagg, the chief executive of UKAI, said: ‘The opt-out model would significantly harm the creative sectors to achieve a minimal gain for a handful of global tech companies.’

On top of their warnings, the boss of a major creative agency will today tell the Government its plans risk hitting the fast-growing influencer sector, which is worth millions to Britain. Dan Parker, CEO of 84 World, said: ‘People think of influencers as a niche industry, but it is a multi-billion-dollar global industry which is going to be hit by this.’

The Government’s proposal to give AI developers an exception to copyright law was dealt a blow yesterday after the Commons culture and tech select committees criticised the plan

Culture committee chairwoman Dame Caroline Dinenage noted the ‘groundswell of concern’ across the creative industries

Tech firms use news articles, books, films and art to train their AI models, which publishers and creators say they should pay for.

If they do not, experts warn it will destroy a £126billion creative industry, which employs 2.4million people and gives Britain its cultural superpower status.

Yet the Government launched an AI consultation saying it favours changing UK law to allow tech platforms to use content without permission unless the creators ‘opt out’. This puts the burden on the artists and publishers to police theft of their work. As things stand, every creator’s work is automatically protected by copyright.

The culture, media and sport committee and the science, innovation and technology committee submitted a joint letter to the Government’s consultation on AI, which closed on Tuesday.

Culture committee chairwoman Dame Caroline Dinenage noted the ‘groundswell of concern’ across the creative industries saying it ‘illustrates the scale of the threat artists face from artificial intelligence pilfering the fruits of their hard-earned success without permission’.

Labour’s Chi Onwurah, the tech committee chairman, wrote: ‘This week’s’ headlines have emphasised the urgency of finding a way forward.’

They both hit out at Google and AI, saying it was ‘disappointing’ they ‘chose to decline our invitation’ to give evidence. The committees also called for a ‘full impact assessment’ in their submission, and said there must be ‘robust mechanisms’ to enforce copyright compliance so people are compensated if their work is used in AI.