House of Lords debate raises importance of AI regulation and creator protection
On Monday 22 July, the House of Lords debated Economic growth, infrastructure and employment as part of the Humble Address, which responds to the new Government’s plans as laid out in the King’s Speech on Wednesday 17th July.
Members raised the opportunities and challenges presented by Artificial Intelligence, and its potential impacts on the economy and on society – including the Creative Industries.
On the value economic contributions of the Creative Industries to the UK, Baroness Bonham-Carter said:
Using the government's official economic measure of Gross Value Added (GVA), the creative industries grew more than twice as fast in 2022 as the UK economy as a whole. The Creative Industries have consistently demonstrated that they are a key growth sector, and should therefore be central to the new government’s strategy for economic growth.
Several members emphasised the critical importance of balancing innovation with the provision of consent and remuneration for copyright holders.
Concerns persist about generative AI companies using creative works without consent or remuneration. Overly restrictive copyright laws can hinder innovation, while too lenient laws can fail to provide adequate incentives for creation.
Effective copyright policy should aim to strike a balance that protects creators’ rights while fostering an environment conducive to innovation. I hope the Minister will look to find a middle ground on this.
There has been much in the press about the use of data without the creator’s consent, let alone remuneration. I hope that DSIT (Department for Science, Innovation & Technology) and DCMS (Department for Culture, Media & Sport) will come together to generate an IP regime that will have data transparency, a consent regime, and the remuneration of creators at its heart.
One of DACS’ key policy asks of the new government is to include visual artists in considered regulation of AI, that complies with copyright law and incentivises human creativity. Artists must be able to give consent, have control and be compensated for the use of their works in machine learning and AI training.
