Artificial intelligence and creators’ rights
The value of human creativity must sit at the forefront of policymaking. Technology is accelerating and being implemented at pace, but both the AI industry and the creative industries can thrive if we find ways to work together, respecting existing law. Equitable economic growth requires a consideration of issues around IP, ethics, accountability, and economics for creative human endeavour. When the Government ran its consultation on a proposal to weaken copyright law in December 2024 - February 2025, we urged them not to risk the livelihoods of our world-leading creative industries, but to find ways of respecting the legal rights of creators, with safety and sustainability firmly in mind. We called for three key measures: -
There is a significant challenge with copyright-protected works being unlawfully used to train AI systems both in the UK and in other jurisdictions, and all future changes must demonstrate transparency on how this data was sourced. Since AI systems can't "unlearn" copyright-protected content, compensation for infringements must consider the irreparable nature of this misuse.
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The Government must work internationally to protect creators' economic and moral rights, strengthening our world leading existing copyright laws. Clearer, more accessible routes for redress, such as a regulatory body with the ability to impose sanctions, are needed to protect rightsholders, particularly those without the financial means for costly legal action.
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The Creators’ Rights Alliance emphasises the vital importance of transparency measures concerning AI systems and copyright licensing. There are growing concerns from creators that the proposals benefit AI developers more than rightsholders, with key issues remaining around how content has been accessed and infringed.
We strongly believe that any new system should be opt-in and respect rightsholders' choice to refuse to license their works, should they not want it to be used to train AI.
Take action: Call on Government to legislate transparency and support creators’ rights
Through a petition led by our member, the Independent Society of Musicians, we are calling on the government to introduce a statutory duty requiring AI developers to disclose the copyrighted works used to train generative AI. This must be in enough detail so that creators can identify the use of their work, enforce their rights, negotiate licences and be fairly paid. Creators need clear rules and regulations that ensure their work is used with consent, proper licensing and fair remuneration. They need transparency about how their work is being used in AI training, accountability from AI companies, and legal protections that respect creative rights. Why is this important?
Currently, AI developers train (build) their models behind closed doors, refusing to publish any of the data (creators’ works) used in the process. This means it is impossible for rightsholders/creators to know or prove that their work has been used in AI training. The fact that AI developers have admitted to using copyright protected works in the training process raises legal and ethical concerns over the consent and remuneration required when accessing such works. Creators - illustrators, authors, journalists, actors, musicians, photographers and more - are already losing thousands of pounds as they compete with generative AI for commissions and work opportunities - the same models that have been unlawfully built with their work. This isn't about rejecting technology, but about establishing a framework that makes AI development fair and sustainable for the creative industries. Our advocacy for creators in the age of generative AI
We are lobbying MPs to better understand creators’ rights and copyright - ensuring they understand the impact that unlicensed AI training and generative AI models are having on the livelihoods of creators. We respond to Government consultations and calls for evidence, and we raise the issue to policymakers in meetings with the Intellectual Property Office, Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, and the Department for Business, Science, Innovation and Trade. We collaborate with wider sector partners where possible, and are members of the Creators Rights in AI Coalition. We also hold a seat on the Creative Industries Council. Subscribe to our newsletter below for monthly updates on our advocacy and collective action
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“Now, at a time when little guy creators are probably under more pressure economically than in living memory, not least due to the theft of their copyright property by tech platforms for use by their AI, the Society is looking to the Alliance to mount effective campaigns to secure commercial equity for freelance creators in particular. None of these have derived a cent of income directly from AI platforms who have stolen their property without having taken or threatened legal action. The platforms now reap huge commercial revenue from their ‘freelance citizen unauthorised’ use of freelancers work. Nor have freelance creators derived any income from those charged with upholding copyright legislation and who have so far failed to do so. Via the CRA, the Society has more chance of righting these and other wrongs on behalf of the individuals who have appointed Society member agencies to represent them.”
- Andrew Coningsby, representative of the Society of Artists’ (Illustrators') Agents