The UK government has abandoned its plan to let AI companies use copyrighted works without explicit permission. Graham Fraser reports for the BBC that the original proposal would have allowed an opt-out system, meaning creators would have needed to actively prevent AI firms from using their work for model training.
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall announced the reversal, saying the government had “listened” and “engaged extensively” with both the creative and AI industries. The government now states it has “no preferred option” for how to proceed.
The original plan drew fierce criticism from prominent artists including Sir Elton John and Dua Lipa. Sir Elton previously compared the unauthorised use of copyrighted material to “committing theft, thievery on a high scale.”
Tom Kiehl, chief executive of UK Music, called the reversal “a major victory for campaigners.” Mandy Hill of Cambridge University Press welcomed the decision but warned that the government had not fully ruled out allowing tech companies to use copyrighted content without a licence.
The government says it will not reform copyright law “until we are confident that they will meet our objectives for the economy and UK citizens.”
Not everyone welcomed the outcome. Vinous Ali of the Startup Coalition expressed disappointment, warning that UK AI startups need a “workable solution” to compete globally.
