Nick Clegg warns that imposing strict AI copyright laws risks undermining the UK’s creative sector.

At a Glance

• Nick Clegg addresses AI industry regulation concerning the use of copyrighted materials in the UK.
• He argues that obtaining artist consent before AI training is infeasible and could “kill” the industry.
• Clegg suggests a clear opt-out provision as a practical alternative.
• UK creative individuals, including Sir Elton John and Sir Paul McCartney, oppose lenient copyright laws towards tech companies.

AI Copyright Concerns in the UK

Nick Clegg, former UK deputy prime minister and ex-Meta executive, raised concerns about AI copyright laws potentially crippling the AI sector. He argued that mandating tech companies to secure artists’ permission before utilizing their work to train AI would “basically kill” the industry in the UK. Clegg cautioned against the adverse effects this requirement might have if implemented in Britain without similar actions worldwide.

Clegg highlighted the challenges in seeking prior consent due to the extensive data used by AI technologies. “Quite a lot of voices say, ‘You can only train on my content, [if you] first ask.’ And I have to say that strikes me as somewhat implausible because these systems train on vast amounts of data,” Clegg remarked. He underlined the impracticality of reaching individual consent arrangements with every artist whose work may influence AI models.

Proposed Solutions and Industry Fears

Clegg advocates for a clear and straightforward opt-out mechanism, suggesting that such an approach aligns more effectively with the intrinsic workings of AI systems, providing an alternative to initial consent which he views as impractical. He also acknowledged the importance of allowing the creative sector to choose against their work being used for AI training purposes.

“Quite a lot of voices say, ‘You can only train on my content, [if you] first ask.’ And I have to say that strikes me as somewhat implausible because these systems train on vast amounts of data.” – Nick Clegg

The backdrop of this debate features prominent UK artists, including Sir Elton John and Sir Paul McCartney, expressing apprehension about adjustments to copyright regulations that could endanger millions of creative jobs. The government recently voted down proposals that would have enabled copyright holders to track AI training’s use of their content, leading to intensified discussions over copyrights and artistic rights.

Navigating the Copyright Landscape

Clegg emphasized that technology firms predominantly utilize publicly available data for AI training and dismissing the concept of obtaining prior permissions as “implausible.” He warns that imposing this in the UK, without international consensus, poses risks of stifling the nation’s AI progression, citing potential negative repercussions on innovation and competitiveness.

“I just don’t know how you go around, asking everyone first. I just don’t see how that would work,” Clegg said. “And by the way if you did it in Britain and no one else did it, you would basically kill the AI industry in this country overnight.” – Nick Clegg

While respecting the concerns of the creative community, Clegg underlines the need for balanced regulations that consider both artistic rights and technological advancement. The debate continues as stakeholders within the UK’s creative sector and AI industry engage in finding viable pathways conducive to both protecting intellectual property and enabling technological growth.