Creative rights in AI Coalition calls on Government to protect copyright as GAI policy develops

We’re proud to announce that STM has joined the newly formed Creative Rights in AI Coalition. As generative AI continues to reshape the landscape of innovation, protecting copyright and fostering collaboration between the creative and tech sectors has never been more crucial.

We’re calling on the government, tech sector, and creators to join us in shaping an AI future that values human creativity and collaboration. Read the full Creative Rights in AI Coalition announcement below:

Creative rights in AI Coalition calls on Government to protect copyright as GAI policy develops

A new coalition of rights holders including publishers, authors, artists, music businesses,
specialist interest publications, unions, and photographers has called on government to spur
growth in the creative and tech sectors by protecting copyright ahead of an imminent
consultation.

Launching today, the Creative Rights in AI Coalition has published three key principles for copyright and GAI policy and a statement supported by all member organisations. The coalition is calling on government to adopt the principles as a framework for developing AI policy.

The launch is accompanied by the publication of new nationally representative public polling from Reset Tech and YouGov which found that the public overwhelmingly back transparency in the training of AI models and the payment of royalties to content creators by tech firms.

Seventy-two per cent of respondents said AI companies should be required to pay royalties to the creators of text, audio, or video that they use to train AI models, while 80 per cent said AI companies should be required to make public all the information that their models have been trained upon.

In the statement, the coalition said: “The UK’s world-leading creative and tech sectors put it in a unique position to set a global standard for how both sectors can innovate together and continue to provide high quality services.

“Protecting copyright and building a dynamic licensing market for the use of creative content in building generative AI (GAI) isn’t just a question of fairness: it’s the only way that both sectors will flourish and grow.

“The UK creative industries generate well over £100 billion annually. We have, quite literally, earned the right to have our voice heard. The key to that success, and future growth, is copyright
law.”

The coalition’s three principles for AI policy focus on a dynamic licensing market with robust
protections for copyright, control and transparency for content creators, and driving growth and
innovation in the creative and tech sectors.

The coalition added: “We support the government’s mission for long-term, secure growth in the creative and tech sectors. We are eager to see the development of a vibrant licensing market and support the sectors which rely on us for their future prosperity, but we can only do so with a robust copyright framework which preserves our exclusive rights to control our works and thereby act as a safeguard against misuse.

“Ours is a positive vision, a vision of collaboration between the creative industries and generative AI developers, where we can all flourish in the online marketplace. We call on the government and the tech sector to join us in building a future that values, protects, and promotes human creativity.”

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Notes:
Organisations in membership of the Creative Rights in AI Coalition are:

Independent Society of Musicians
DMG Media
Association of Photographers
Association of Online Publishers
Professional Publishers Association
NLA Media Access Limited
Publishers’ Licensing Services
Association Illustrators
PRS for Music
News Media Association
Association of Learned and Professional Society Publishers
International Association of Scientific, Technical & Medical Publishers
Publishers Association
Copyright Licensing Agency
The Associated Press
The Society of Artists Agents
European Publishers Council
Society of Editors
Independent Publishers Alliance
British Copyright Council
Society of Authors
News Media Europe
Pan Macmillan
Association of Authors’ Agents
Financial Times
Creators’ Rights Alliance
Guardian News & Media
Authors’ Licencing and Collecting Society
Mumsnet
Artists’ Collecting Society
Music Publishers Association
Picture Industry Collecting Society for Effective Licensing
Getty Images
British Phonographic Industry
Association of Independent Music
CILIP – the library and information association
PPL (Phonographic Performance Ltd)
UK Music
Independent Publishers Guild
Motion Picture Association

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• www.creativerightsinai.co.uk
• #creativerightsinai

• All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2,149
adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 7 – 8 November 2024. The survey was
carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB
adults (aged 18+).