A coalition of leading UK audiovisual businesses and organisations has called on the Government to provide assurances that the UK’s creative IP – and the businesses that own that IP - will continue to be supported by the copyright framework, as fast-growing AI technology gathers pace globally.
Companies and organisations including All3Media, Banijay UK, BBC, Channel 4, Fremantle, ITN, ITV, Pact, Radiocentre and Sky, together have helped drive growth and innovation in TV, film and audio/radio production. Responding to the Government’s AI and Copyright Consultation, they said they welcomed the opportunity to discuss the opportunities that AI brings to the creative industries. But the businesses also stressed that they, and the UK, should be able to share in the value created by the adoption of the technology.
“The UK creative sector, and film and TV production in particular, is hugely important for the future of the UK - as a driver of economic growth, a creator of high-skilled jobs and to produce content that we can be rightly proud of as a nation,” the audiovisual coalition said.
“We believe that AI developers should not scrape creative sector content without express permission and that a framework that supports licensing of copyright content for AI training is the best way for the UK to share in the opportunity created by AI.”
The Government has proposed introducing a new exemption in copyright law that would permit technology companies to train their AI models on creative works including films, TV shows and audio recordings without permission, unless creators actively opt-out.
The coalition’s consultation response says that this kind of change is currently not workable, would not achieve Government’s aims, and would undermine the success of the creative sector. The coalition highlights the need for a framework that enables the licensing of content and that can support the growth of both the AI and creative sectors.
John McVay OBE, Chief Executive, Pact, said: “It’s vitally important that the Government listens to the concerns of UK rights owners who have generated billions for the UK economy and whose creativity enriches the lives of UK citizens and others around the world. The UK’s position as a global leader in the creative industries has been hard fought for and must not be squandered.”
Pact also supports the Make it Fair campaign which is calling on the Government to protect the creative industries in the age of generative AI.