The UK government has scrapped plans to introduce copyright law exceptions which would allow AI firms to use the work of songwriters without their permission.
The government had been in favour of allowing AI developers to train their machines on copyrighted works, with rightsholders having an opt-out option.
However, that approach was “overwhelmingly rejected by the vast majority of the creative industries”, Liz Kendall, the minister for innovation and technology, said on Wednesday.
Due to this, she announced, “the government no longer has a preferred option”.
The decision was welcomed as a “first step” which avoided the “worst outcome” by The Ivors Academy, which represents songwriters and composers.
The government was urged to go further by UK Music and other creative bodies.
“We urge them to go further and rule out resurrecting this plan throughout their period in office,” UK Music boss Tom Kiehl said.
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“The 220,000 people in our sector, which generates £8bn for the UK economy, should be entitled to work and earn a living without the constant fear that the fruits of their labour could effectively be taken by AI firms without payment or permission.”
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The government now plans to launch a consultation in the summer on how to address the harm caused by unpermitted “digital replicas”, while protecting legitimate innovation.
The plans had caused widespread outrage within the creative industries.
Producer Giles Martin described the now-abandoned plans to allow AI firms to use artists’ work without permission, unless creators opt out, as like allowing criminals to burgle houses unless specifically told not to.
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Sir Elton John and Simon Cowell were among the celebrities who had backed a campaign opposing the government’s previous proposals.
More than 1,000 artists and musicians, including Kate Bush, Damon Albarn, Sam Fender and Annie Lennox, previously recorded a silent album in protest at proposed changes.
Concerns about unfair mining of material by AI firms have grown across different sectors in recent years.
In February, Sky News announced it had formed the Standards for Publisher Usage Rights coalition (SPUR) with other major news organisations to develop industry standards for AI’s fair use of their material.
The alliance said while the rise of AI brings opportunities for publishers and their audiences, it “also raises urgent questions about fairness, consent, attribution, transparency and trust”.
“The lack of transparency about how AI answers are created risks eroding public trust in both the news and the technologies used to access it,” the group added.
