The UK government has abandoned its preferred option on copyright reform that would have allowed artificial intelligence firms to use copyrighted material without permission, following a backlash from artists including Elton John, Dua Lipa and Thom Yorke.
Technology secretary Liz Kendall said on Wednesday that the government no longer has a 'preferred option', having previously supported a proposal that would have let tech companies take copyrighted work unless rights holders opted out. 'We have listened,' she said, citing extensive engagement with creatives, AI firms and industry bodies.
The U-turn was welcomed by actors' union Equity, which called the original plan 'national self-sabotage', and by UK Music and the Society of Authors. However, composer and campaigner Ed Newton-Rex warned that 'virtually everything is still on the table, including the opt-out', describing the move as 'kicking the can down the road'.
Kendall also announced a taskforce to examine labelling AI content, a consultation on protecting likenesses from deepfakes, and a review of how creators can monitor use of their work by AI firms. The government published an economic impact assessment of four copyright options, including leaving the law unchanged, requiring licensing, waiving copyright, or the opt-out scheme.
