The policy proposed by the British Labor Party to build the UK into a "top global AI power" has triggered a strong backlash from people in the British creative industry. Cultural celebrities such as well-known writers Kate Moss and Richard Osman have publicly criticized the policy, believing that it allows technology companies to use copyrighted works to train AI models without authorization, which is a serious infringement of the rights of creators and will It is likened to "stealing". This move aroused the concerns of the Creative Industry Rights Alliance, and many artists and musicians also expressed protests, calling on the government to fully protect the legitimate rights and interests of creators while developing the AI industry.
Well-known British writers Kate Moss and Richard Osman recently spoke out against the artificial intelligence (AI) policy proposed by the Labor Party, saying that the policy may destroy the development of the creative industry and regard it as the "theft" of artistic works. Labor leader Keir Starmer has laid out a plan to turn the UK into "the world's top AI power" and backed a 50-point action plan that includes restrictions on the use of AI by tech companies. Copyright text and data training rules are modified.
Picture source note: The picture is generated by AI, and the picture authorization service provider Midjourney
The government is currently considering whether to allow big tech companies to access data on literary, musical and other creative works at scale without copyright holders actively opting out. The move is seen as a means to promote the development of British AI companies, because training AI models requires a large amount of data, and technology companies believe that the current copyright laws are unclear and may hinder technological progress. Creators, however, want AI companies to pay fair royalties for their works and have expressed disappointment that the Prime Minister is backing an EU-like system that would require copyright holders to opt out of data collection.
The Creative Industries Rights Alliance recently expressed "deep concern" about Starmer's stance and called on the government to continue to consider their demands while protecting creative rights. Famous musician Paul McCartney once warned that AI "may completely replace human creation", while Kate Bush and Stephen Fry and Hugh Bonneville Hugh Bonneville) and others signed the petition, emphasizing that "the unauthorized use of creative works to train and generate AI is a major threat to the livelihood of creators and must not be allowed."
Moss told the Guardian: “AI should be used in a responsible and sensible way, but it shouldn’t be at the expense of creative industries.” She believes such policies support a certain type of growth at the expense of Another part of the growth. Osman also made it clear that if you want to use copyrighted works, you should ask for permission and pay a fee, and anything else is theft.
According to the action plan, the government will push to "reform the UK's text and data mining regime so that it is at least as competitive as the EU". However, many creators object to this, arguing that they should be automatically compensated for the use of their work. In this regard, the government stated that it will ensure that while supporting the development of the AI industry, it will also protect the interests of the creative industry and conduct relevant consultations.
Highlight:
Writers strongly oppose the AI policy proposed by the Labor Party, saying it will infringe on the rights of creators.
Plans to allow tech companies to use copyrighted works without a license have been deemed a form of "theft" by writers.
The government has said it will reform copyright law to balance the relationship between AI and creative industries, but no final decision has been made yet.
This debate around AI policy and creators’ rights is still ongoing, and the final result will have a profound impact on the creative industry and AI development in the UK and even around the world. The government needs to find a balance between promoting technological progress and protecting the interests of creators to achieve sustainable development.