The creative industries in the UK are launching a fresh campaign against big tech companies and the use of their content being used to train AI models without permission or compensation.
Launched today (February 25), the Make It Fair campaign, is the latest in a series of objections towards AI models ‘scraping’ the internet and using copyrighted creative works to train itself.
Meanwhile, the UK government is holding the last day of a consultation today, with leaders in the creative sector – such as in film and TV – to address some of the issues associated with British creative industries and intellectual property.
The consultation will determine if AI companies can use creative content without permission unless its creators – including those who work on film, TV, music, writing and journalism – specifically prohibit use.
Creatives say that having to ‘opt out’ creates unnecessary barriers between them protecting their work.
Make It Fair warns that AI poses an “existential threat” to creative industries, with many fearing the technology could eventually replace roles altogether.
Campaign leaders say the UK’s creative sector, which brings £120 billion a year to the economy, will be gravely affected if this use of creative work goes unchecked.
Over the next week, publishers backing the campaign will show support through showing the Make It Fair banner on their website along with the message: “The government wants to change the UK’s laws to favour big tech platforms so they can use British creative content to power their AI models without our permission or payment. Let’s protect the creative industries – it’s only fair.”
In a statement, the BBC responded to the government’s consultation, saying the proposal needs to go further: “We think the kind of change proposed in the consultation is currently unworkable and would not achieve the Government’s aims.
“To be clear, we support the Government’s ambition to grow the creative and AI sectors, to support rightsholders control of their content, to support the development of world-leading AI models, and to foster greater partnership, trust and transparency between the creative and AI sectors.”
Affecting An £120 Billion Dollar Industry
The relationship between AI and the creative industry hasn’t been a straightforward one. Many big publishers and broadcasters have expressed concerns around the unregulated use of AI.
In January, the UK government announced plans to boost AI innovation in an ‘AI Action Plan’, which included the outlining of ‘AI Growth Zones’ and the possibility of creating over 13,000 new jobs in the region.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the plan will put the UK on track to being a global AI leader. However, audiences in the creative sector have warned of the risk the technology poses – particularly since the advent of AI image, video and music generating tools like Sora, Midjourney, and DALLE.
Numerous celebrities, including Kate Bush, Tom Holland and Stephen Fry have all called out against the unregulated use of AI in the sector.
They have joined almost 50,000 signatories in a petition against the unlicensed use of AI for training purposes.
At the same time, over 1000 artists – including Annie Lenox, Billy Ocean and Kate Bush – released a silent album today to protest plans to change copyright laws. The artists say they hope the album, entitled ‘Is This What We Want?’ will highlight the impact AI is likely to have on the music industry.
