UK Urged to Back Creatives Over AI in Growing Copyright Clash

The Growing AI Copyright Controversy

The use of copyrighted material to train artificial intelligence systems without permission has sparked anger across creative industries. Image library Getty Images and newspaper The New York Times have filed major lawsuits over AI companies using their content.  

There is a growing legal battle around the AI copyright issue. Alongside the Getty and NYT cases, authors like John Grisham and George R.R. Martin are suing AI text generator OpenAI over "systematic theft". A group of artists also filed a copyright suit against image generators last year.

AI Companies Claim Copyright Limits Innovation

Some AI companies argue they can't develop advanced systems without using copyrighted material. OpenAI claimed in court it's "impossible" to build AI without it. Others say only using old public domain works would be too limiting.

But Getty Images disagrees. They partnered with Nvidia to create an AI using only licensed images, proving it's possible. The CEO argues claims they must use copyrighted content are just "smoke".

UK Government Under Pressure Over AI Copyright Approach

The UK government aims to support AI firms in accessing copyrighted works, worrying creative industries. But after backlash, the intellectual property minister said they will take a "balanced approach".

Getty CEO tells the UK it's "risky" to bet on early-stage AI over its established creative sector. He argues the government should back the proven creative industries, which make up a much larger part of GDP.

AI Models Released Open Source Complicate Regulation

Some AI models have been released open source, free for anyone to use. This makes restricting copyrighted data for training ineffective. But the Getty CEO says AI firms can still be held responsible for their systems, even if individuals also have responsibility.

He believes legal entities behind AI code are still subject to the law. The key question is whether they choose to comply or not.

Our Take:

The clash between AI and copyright is a complex issue with arguments on both sides. But established creative industries rightly feel exploited by AI systems profiting from their work without consent or compensation. The UK government treads a risky path if it gambles too heavily on AI over supporting its proven creative sector. With responsible innovation, it's possible to develop advanced AI while still respecting copyright law. But this requires ethics and compliance from AI companies, which legal cases show cannot be taken for granted. Striking the right balance on AI copyright will be a key challenge as these technologies continue maturing.