A coalition of musicians, publishers, photographers, and newspaper groups has rejected the Labour government's proposal to allow artificial intelligence companies to use copyrighted material for training unless rights holders actively opt out. In a joint statement, the Creative Rights in AI Coalition (Crac) insisted that existing copyright laws must be respected and enforced, not weakened.
The plan, announced by technology and culture minister Chris Bryant on Tuesday, is subject to a 10-week consultation. It would let firms like OpenAI, Google, and Meta train their algorithms on published works without seeking prior permission, shifting the burden onto creators to opt out. Bryant argued that a stricter regime could drive AI development overseas and disadvantage UK businesses.
The coalition, which includes the British Phonographic Industry, the Independent Society of Musicians, the Motion Picture Association, the Society of Authors, Mumsnet, the Guardian, the Financial Times, the Telegraph, Getty Images, the Daily Mail Group, and Newsquest, called for developers to seek permission, agree licences, and pay rights holders. They said the priority should be enforcing current law, not creating new exceptions.
High-profile figures such as Paul McCartney, Kate Bush, Julianne Moore, Stephen Fry, and Hugh Bonneville have backed a petition against unlicensed use of creative works for AI training, which has garnered over 37,500 signatures. Novelist Kate Mosse has also supported amendments to the data bill to enforce copyright and ensure fair payment.
In a House of Lords debate, proposer Beeban Kidron likened the opt-out system to asking shopkeepers to 'opt out of shoplifters'. Liberal Democrat spokesperson Clement Jones called the proposal 'based on the mistaken idea... that there is a lack of clarity in existing copyright law'. Science minister Patrick Vallance said the government aims to balance rights-holder control with supporting AI development.
