The UK government has revised plans to change copyright laws to allow AI firms to use copyrighted material without explicit permission. The proposals would have allowed AI developers to train their models on copyrighted material unless the copyright holder opted out. In practical terms, this would have put the onus on artists and other creators to actively withhold copyrighted works, rather than requiring the AI company to seek permission.
The proposals faced a backlash from thousands of creatives, with well-known figures including Sir Elton John, Dua Lipa, ABBA’s Björn Ulvaeus, actress Julianne Moore and Radiohead singer Thom Yorke leading the objections. Thousands of authors including Kazuo Ishiguro, Philippa Gregory and Richard Osman also published an ‘empty’ book to protest against the plans. Titled Don’t Steal This Book, its only content was a list of the 10,000 or so participants.
A version of the proposal is not off the table entirely. In updates published last week, the government included plans for a ‘broad data mining exception’ along with a ‘data mining exception with opt-out and transparency measures’. However, while the broader opt-out plan was previously presented as the government’s preferred option, it now says that there is no preference moving forward.
Government says that it has ‘no preferred option’ on AI and copyright
Technology secretary Liz Kendall said: “We have listened, we have engaged extensively with creatives, AI firms, industry bodies, unions, academics and AI adopters, and that engagement has shaped our approach. This is why we can confirm today that the government no longer has a preferred option.”
The other two options in the proposals are to maintain the status quo by leaving copyright and all related laws as they are, or to strengthen copyright so that licensing is required in all cases.
The government launched its consultation on AI and copyright in December 2024 and says that it received 11,520 responses from a range of respondents, including creators and right holders, developers of AI models and applications, businesses of all sizes, academics, researchers, cultural heritage organisations and legal professionals. It added that the majority of responses reflected views of right holders and the creative industries, including individual creators and performers.
BBC analysis said that there was now ‘no firm conclusion on what happens next’, with the government announcing it will not reform copyright laws “until we are confident that they will meet our objectives for the economy and UK citizens”.
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