Overview

• At the Charleston Festival on May 27, former Meta executive Nick Clegg warned that forcing AI firms to obtain permission before using copyrighted works would “basically kill” the UK’s AI industry.
• The Data (Use and Access) Bill, introduced in October, currently allows companies to train models on creative content unless rights holders opt out.
• A House of Lords amendment requiring tech companies to disclose and secure consent for copyrighted training data was blocked by the Commons earlier this month.
• Prominent artists including Elton John, Paul McCartney and Kate Bush have publicly condemned the bill for enabling large-scale use of their work without explicit approval.
• Think tanks such as the Tony Blair Institute have advocated for limited copyright exceptions, intensifying calls for a balanced licensing framework that compensates creators.