Ministers have been urged to abandon plans that would allow tech firms to use the work of novelists, artists and writers without permission, as a House of Lords committee warns the UK's creative industries must not be sacrificed for speculative AI gains.
A report by the House of Lords communications and digital committee calls for a licensing regime for the use of creative works in AI products. It comes as the government prepares to release an economic impact assessment of proposed copyright changes by 18 March.
Barbara Keeley, Labour peer and committee chair, said the creative industries face a 'clear and present danger' from AI firms using their work without credit or payment. 'AI may contribute to our future economic growth, but the UK creative industries create jobs and economic value now,' she said, noting the sector contributes £146bn a year to the economy.
The report urges the government to formally rule out a proposal allowing AI firms to use copyright-protected material unless owners opt out. Other recommendations include supporting a licensing market, backing UK-developed AI models, requiring AI companies to disclose training data, and giving creators greater protection against deepfakes.
A government spokesperson said: 'The government wants a copyright regime that values and protects human creativity, can be trusted, and unlocks innovation. We welcome the committee's contributions, and we will continue to engage closely with parliament going forwards.'
