AI copyright law changes could undermine British music industry
A British music trade association has issued a stark warning against the UK government’s proposed changes to copyright law following uncertainty around how current law applies to the use of AI technology.
In a statement, the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) claimed that a new consultation on AI and copyright “risks taking away value” from British artists and the rights holders that support them in a way that could “severely undermine the UK music industry”.
Jo Twist, chief executive of the BPI said: “The UK’s creative output and human creativity is being placed at risk by proposed changes to British copyright law, which would allow international tech giants to train AI models on artists’ work without payment or permission, and would be the wrong way to realise the exciting potential of AI.”
The statement comes after the government launched a consultation earlier this month on plans to give certainty to the creative industries and AI developers on how copyright material can be used to train AI models.
The government stated it wanted a balanced package of proposals to give creators greater control over how AI developers use their material and enhance their ability to be paid for its use.
However, the consultation also proposes introducing an exception to copyright law for AI training for commercial purposes.
This consultation is running until 25 February 2025.
One of the key proposals is an “opt-out” text and data mining copyright exception, allowing the use of content for training AI systems where intellectual property holders have not reserved their rights.
The Prime Minister confirmed to the Liaison Committee in the same week that the government thinks an opt-out is “the right proposal” for creators having their works scraped.
“In, out, in, out – it’s like the hokey cokey of policy making,” stated Caroline Dinenage MP and chair of the culture, media and sport Select Committee.
The BPI thanked Dinenage “for standing up for the UK’s £125bn-per-year creative industries” in this Commons discussion on the copyright consultation.
“Copyright is critical to British music’s global success, international tech giants can’t be allowed to take it for granted,” the BPI warned in a post on X.
According to The Times, The Creative Rights in AI Coalition, which includes the BPI, the Independent Society of Musicians, the Motion Picture Association and the Society of Authors and Getty Images, have all said existing copyright laws must be respected and enforced rather than degraded.