AI copyright rules ‘threaten to rip rug from under’ artists, warns MP

Proposed copyright rules for AI models have left creators “alarmed”, a Labour MP who once played Glastonbury has warned.

James Frith, a former member of the band Finka, warned ministers that their plan to let artificial intelligence models mine text and data “threatens to rip the rug from under” artists.

According to a Government consultation pack, ministers could introduce an exception to copyright law for “text data and mining”, which would “improve access to content by AI developers” but also let creators reserve their rights.

Pete Wishart, SNP MP for Perth and Kinross-shire, apologised to culture minister Sir Chris Bryant when he said “nobody believes” the proposal would support both the AI and creative sectors.

Mr Frith said the Government’s proposal had left artists “confused, alarmed and deeply concerned”.

He warned: “This threatens to rip the rug from under our prized sector with proposed, sweeping changes to copyright law.

“Creators see it for what it is – an upheaval of the copyright protections they depend on, threatening lasting damage to the sector.

“Copyright doesn’t inspire hit songs, smash-hit movies or classical texts, but it is the lifeblood of our creative industries. It’s what feeds investment, enables musicians, writers, actors, designers and businesses large and small to earn a living from their work.”

The MP for Bury North later said: “AI holds exciting potential to help consumers discover and engage with creative works, but to forfeit the humanity it takes, suggesting AI can replace what it takes, insults and will ultimately cost those who pour their lives into this craft, as well as those of us who love to soak it all up.”

Conservative former culture secretary Sir John Whittingdale also criticised the proposal, which he said “reverses what has long been the case that people can rely upon the protection of their rights unless they choose to give it up”.

He added: “They shouldn’t have to come along and ask that their right should be protected, which is what an opting-out system entails.”

Sir John also warned of a “huge burden” on small rights holders such as individual photographers.

After Sir John described “alarm” at the Government’s proposed exception to copyright law, Sir Chris intervened in his speech and told the Commons: “We are consulting. We have not decided, we are consulting. It’s a consultation, not the second reading of a Bill.”

Allison Gardner, Labour MP for Stoke-on-Trent South, warned that the policy “risks creating a future of fool’s gold data as our creative industry loses control of its ownership to their work and moves elsewhere or just simply gives up”.

She urged MPs to imagine the UK had not data but “vast reserves of gold” and asked: “What should we do?

“Would we look at gold-hungry organisations and give it away to them for free in the hope they will invest in the UK? I should hope not.”

Mr Wishart, who is a member of the cross-party band MP4 which also includes former MPs Ian Cawsey, Sir Greg Knight and Kevin Brennan, said: “I know they think they’ve got an idea and a solution which somehow supports both the AI sector and the creative industries sector, but there’s nobody who actually believes that, sorry minister.

“There’s no one who could go along with this idea that somehow we open up the nation’s creative work to be scraped and to be mined, that would ever get us to the situation where this could ever be possibly useful for the creative industries, and I don’t think it would be useful for the AI sector either.”

He continued: “They’re in an economic mess and they’re looking to grab at anything that will give them any sort of comfort and AI is obviously one of the areas that they’ve identified that might bring this promised growth, and given them some sort of confidence and reassurance that what they’re trying to do with the economy might actually get to where they’re seeking to take it.”

Replying for the Government, Sir Chris said he “fully” understands the level of concern before telling MPs: “Intellectual property is absolutely central to the viability of the creative industries, both to individuals and to the industries themselves. What are they selling other than intellectual property?”

He said “good generative AI needs good-quality data”, adding: “And that means licensing, i.e. paying for, getting permission for good-quality data that is embodied in creative intellectual property.

“We seek more licensing, in other words more remuneration. Secondly, greater control of rights. Thirdly, legal clarity for all. And it’s those three things combined that we’re seeking to achieve.”

Sir Chris said “doing nothing” is not an option, adding: “There isn’t a version of rights reservation that works at the moment that is simple and easy. As an author I know if you want to register for PLR, public lending right, you have to go online and register each of your works.

“That’s relatively simple and straightforward. It’s relatively simple and straightforward for somebody who writes books because you only have two or three or four – for a photographer it’s a completely different business.

“So we’ve got to come to a technical answer that works for everybody. If there isn’t a technical answer then we’re going to have to think again – that’s the sum total of where we’re at.”