UK code of practice on copyright and AI

February 1, 2024

In January 2024, the UK Government responded to a report from the House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee entitled ‘Connected tech: AI and creative technology’.

You can see the Committee’s report here, and the Government’s response here.

In its response the Government:

  • confirmed that it is not pursuing a copyright exception for text and data mining
  • said it will report on outcomes of work to develop a code of practice on copyright and AI in early 2024

On the impact of AI on the creative industries, the Government response says:

Creative sectors can supercharge productivity and efficiency through AI innovation. The increasing digitalisation of creative content enables analysis using AI and machine learning, opening up opportunities to better understand creative activity such as in art or fashion, which may have beneficial commercial applications.

But it is equally important that while we harness the benefits of AI, we also manage the risks and continue to incentivise creativity and originality, and the Government is acutely aware of the concerns of media and creative industries sectors in this respect. It is vitally important that AI-generated content does not supplant the work of our musicians, filmmakers and journalists. The concerns of these sectors, particularly in the relationship between intellectual property and generative AI, and the profound potential implications for human creativity, are therefore a key element of the Government’s broader work on AI-related policy.

There is information about the code of practice here, including the terms of reference and members of the working group.