Writers’ work is already being stolen on an industrial scale to train AI systems, without permission or payment, and is thereby infringing 300-year-old copyright protections.
Unions are demanding that the government takes stronger action to protect creative industry workers from the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence (AI). The Trade Union Congress (TUC) has said there is urgent need for “proper guardrails” to protect workers across various sectors, from journalists and writers to artists and academics.
Government proposals, which are currently under consultation, would make creative work accessible to AI companies unless workers actively opt out. They have been lauded by the tech industry but have sparked a backlash from many artists.
Over 1,000 musicians, including Damon Albarn, Elton John, and Annie Lennox, have protested by releasing a silent album in opposition to the government’s plans.
Ministers have reportedly acknowledged the need to protect the UK’s creative industries from the ease with which AI companies could use copyright-protected work.
But the TUC is urging for greater and urgent action to protect creative workers. The union organisation is calling for transparency of AI training data to ensure workers know whether their data or images are being used. It is also urging for an opt-in system to protect creative work from commercial data mining, unless workers give their consent. Additionally, the union wants measures to be put in place to ensure creative workers are paid fairly when their creative work is used to train AI models.
Without adequate regulation, “rapacious tech bosses” would be able to exploit creative workers and cash in on their work, the TUC warned.
Paul Newark, head of the TUC, said that AI offers huge transformative potential and, if regulated properly, workers could benefit from the productivity gains created by this technology. But he added:
“UK law is simply failing to keep pace with the rapid speed of technological change and proliferation of AI at work.
“Writers, actors, performers, teachers, journalists and other creatives must have a say over how their work and image is used, and they must be paid fairly.
“A new taskforce should be established, bringing together creative workers, unions, technologists and government to manage the risks and maximise the opportunities of AI.
“The government should change direction on current proposals and go further to protect creative workers and safeguard the future of the creative industries. The sector is a jewel in the crown of our economy and vital for growth.
“The clock is ticking. Without proper guardrails put in place, rapacious tech bosses will continue to cash in on creatives’ work without their consent.”
Paul Fleming, general secretary of Equity, the performing arts and entertainment trade union, is urging for “industrial-scale theft” of performers’ and artists’ work by big tech to stop.
“Equity’s groundbreaking TV and film negotiations show that empowering workers can help deal with the challenges of AI.
“The government’s proposals undermine an entire industry – bosses and workers alike – and threaten the efficacy of bargained solutions through unquestioning support of big tech.
Emma Reeves, chair of the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain, said that writers’ work is already being stolen on an industrial scale to train AI systems, without permission or payment, and is thereby infringing 300-year-old copyright protections.
“Without stronger protections for writers, big tech could be allowed to take what they like, when they like, without any requirement to share the profits with writers or other creators.
“This will not only harm creators themselves, but will likely deal a serious blow to the emerging AI market and harm the creative industries too. Alternatively, the voluntary licensing of work for AI training offers a potential for growth.”
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