In a strongly worded letter to UK ministers, two cross-party committees of MPs urge the government to prioritize ensuring that creators are fairly remunerated for their work over making it easy to train artificial intelligence models.
In a strongly worded letter to UK ministers, two cross-party committees of MPs have urged the government to prioritize ensuring that creators are fairly remunerated for their work over making it easy to train artificial intelligence (AI) models.
Artistic rights refer to the exclusive rights of creators and artists to control their original works.
This includes literary, musical, and artistic creations such as books, music, paintings, and films.
According to the Berne Convention, signed by over 170 countries, creators have the right to reproduce, distribute, and display their work publicly.
Artistic rights also include the right to modify or adapt the work for commercial purposes.
In many countries, copyright laws protect artistic rights for a certain period after publication.
A Groundswell of Concern from the Creative Industries
The chair of the culture, media and sport committee, Caroline Dinenage, highlighted a ‘groundswell of concern‘ from across the creative industries in response to the government’s proposals. She emphasized that allowing AI companies to train models on copyrighted work without creators’ permission is akin to ‘burglars being allowed into your house unless there’s a big sign on your front door expressly telling them that thievery isn’t allowed.’
Transparency and Fair Remuneration
The committees argued that there needs to be more transparency around the vast amounts of data used to train generative AI models. They urged the government not to press ahead with plans to require creators to opt out of having their data used through a ‘rights reservation‘ system. Instead, they called for tougher requirements on transparency, so creators can identify the use of their works and be remunerated accordingly.
Artificial intelligence (AI) has come a long way since its inception in the 1950s.
Initially, it was confined to simple tasks like playing chess and recognizing speech patterns.
However, advancements in machine learning algorithms and data processing capabilities have enabled AI to tackle complex problems like image recognition, natural language processing, and predictive analytics.
Today, AI is integrated into various industries, including healthcare, finance, and transportation, improving efficiency and accuracy.
The Impact on Creators
The letter warned that without greater transparency and fair remuneration, the biggest impact would be felt by the long tail of creators and journalists already operating under financial constraints. The committees also expressed concerns about the potential penalties for copyright holders who opt out, which could lead to reduced visibility and further marginalization.
A copyright holder is an individual or organization that owns the exclusive rights to a creative work, such as a book, song, or film.
This includes the right to reproduce, distribute, and display the work publicly.
According to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) , there were over 1 million registered copyrights worldwide in 2020.
Copyright holders can register their works with the U.S. Copyright Office or equivalent organizations in other countries to protect their intellectual property rights.
A Call for Action
The letter to ministers called on the government to improve transparency around training data, enable creators to identify the use of their works, and ensure that any copyright holders who opt out are not penalized. They also encouraged companies developing per-use revenue sharing models, which could move generative AI past its ‘Napster era.’ The MPs asked for a full impact assessment for each option proposed in the consultation, with robust mechanisms to ensure compliance, enforcement, and redress when it comes to copyright.
A Global Perspective
The letter noted that other jurisdictions, such as the US and EU, have not settled this issue despite the government’s fears that AI developers may move to countries with ‘clearer or more permissive rules.’ The committees urged the government to look beyond its own borders and consider the global implications of its proposals.
- theguardian.com | Prioritise artists over tech in AI copyright debate, MPs say
