Rebooting Copyright : How the UK Can Be a Global Leader in the Arts and AI.

Amongst the five authors - not one is an artist. Creatives are going to need stand up and fight for themselves like their lives depended on it otherwise the UK government will pander to the demands of ‘Big Tech’. This is the Forward from a report published yesterday by the Tony Blair Institute For Global Change.

The full report can be read here : https://institute.global/insights/tech-and-digitalisation/rebooting-copyright-how-the-uk-can-be-a-global-leader-in-the-arts-and-ai

Forward

The global race for cultural and technological leadership remains wide open. Countries that embrace change and harness the power of artificial intelligence in creative ways will set the technical, aesthetic and regulatory standards for others to follow.

Consider the arts first. Another revolution in media and communication is underway. After the printing press, gramophone and camera, AI is set to disrupt how textual, visual and auditive content is created, distributed and experienced. AI will usher in a new era of interactive and bespoke works, as well as a counter-revolution that celebrates everything that AI can never be. Far from heralding the end of human creativity, AI presents new ways of being original.

The same AI revolution disrupting the creative industries is impacting all areas of society. Scientists use AI to discover in a matter of hours what once took years, health-care providers use it to analyse X-ray images and emergency services use it to find houses damaged by earthquakes. And this is only the beginning. Fuelled by advances in computing power, data, model architectures and access to talent, future AI systems will become increasingly capable.

The government has signalled a commitment to make the United Kingdom a global leader in AI through its AI Opportunities Action Plan, which was announced by Prime Minister Keir Starmer on 13 January 2025. This ambition should be encouraged. If properly designed and deployed, AI can make human lives healthier, safer and more prosperous. Accelerating AI adoption is thus not only a matter of boosting economic growth but also of improving social outcomes.

At the same time, the rapid diffusion of AI across sectors poses urgent policy questions that need to be answered. One of these concerns the data that go into AI training. Today, the application of UK copyright law to the training of AI models remains contested. Unfortunately, the current debate is too often framed as a zero-sum game, in which AI developers and rights holders are locked in competition for limited resources. This misrepresents the nature of the challenge and the opportunity before us.

The current situation is unsustainable and a lack of clarity harms all stakeholders. This includes creators, who are not properly remunerated for their labour; rights holders, who struggle to exercise control over how their works are used; AI developers, who face hurdles when it comes to training AI models, which limits job-growth potential; and society at large, missing out on benefiting from AI diffusion and adoption. Bold policy solutions are needed to provide all parties with legal clarity and unlock investments that spur innovation, job creation and economic growth.

Critically, the AI revolution presents opportunities as well – not least for creators. From podcasts to filmmaking, AI is already being used to break new ground. The notion that art is threatened by a new tool echoes debates from the past. From the printing press and the Statute of Anne to the internet and music streaming, every technological innovation challenging the status quo has been met with end-of-times claims. But in each case, human ingenuity has prevailed and society has adapted. The progressive solution is not about clinging to copyright laws designed for an earlier era but allowing them to co-evolve with technological change, to remain effective in fulfilling their regulatory and protective aims in the age of AI.

The UK government has proposed a text and data mining exception with the possibility for rights holders to opt-out. This is a good starting point for balancing stakeholder interests, as it would enable AI development in the UK while giving rights holders increased control of how their data are used. But the proposal comes with significant implementation and enforcement challenges with legal, technical and geopolitical dimensions. In this report, the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change (TBI) assesses the merits of the UK government’s proposal and outlines a holistic policy framework to make it work in practice.

The UK can be home to both cutting-edge AI development and a flourishing creative sector. Robust opt-out mechanisms and enforcement alongside increased transparency from AI developers and users will help build trust with creators and rights holders. Additionally, clarifying what qualifies as human creativity and supporting measures to identify AI-generated content will allow society to continue celebrating and rewarding human expression while embracing transformative technological tools.

As with all technological change, there will be disruption. The government should play an active role in helping industries manage abrupt transitions and provide a safety net for individuals. Governments that ignore rights holders’ concerns – or fail to provide clarity for AI developers – also face economic, legal and political risks. Yet there are better ways to help creators flourish in the digital age than strict copyright laws. This includes support in honing new skills, accessing compute infrastructure and developing new business models.

Central to TBI’s vision is the establishment of a Centre for AI and Creative Industries, a hub that would bring together technologists, artists, policymakers and industry players to forge collaborative solutions and nurture the next generation of creative innovators. This institution would serve both as a symbol and an engine of the UK’s commitment to a future where technological progress and creative expression advance in concert.

The stakes could not be higher. The creative industries and the AI sector are central to the UK’s prosperity and place in the world, yet their future depends on legislation written before Photoshop was released. Old notions of ownership will not serve rights holders as well as they have for the past 300 years.

The government must act now to ensure that the UK remains an attractive location for AI development and investment, while unlocking the vast potential of the country’s artistic heritage to shape culture in the 21st century.

Professor Fernando Garibay, chairman and founder, Garibay Institute