Connected technology: CMS Committee publishes government response to report on AI and intellectual property

Special report: Connected tech: AI and creative technology: Government Response to the Committee’s Eleventh Report of Session 2022–23 (pdf)

The Culture, Media and Sport Committee has today published the Government response to its second report on connected tech, which highlighted concerns from across the creative industries about allowing the developers of AI to mine private intellectual property for profit without sharing with the original creators.

The response confirms that the Government is no longer proceeding with its original proposal for a broad copyright exception for text and data mining. It adds that a more detailed response to the Committee’s recommendations will come with the Government’s response to the AI Regulation white paper and the publication of the Cultural Education Plan, which is due in ‘the coming months’.

Dame Caroline Dinenage MP, Chair of the CMS Committee, said: “We are pleased to see the Government commit to developing a Code of Practice on Copyright and AI and to exploring stronger legal protections for creators whose likenesses are misused by generative AI. However, without a definitive plan of action, we are concerned that AI will continue to pose a threat to creators' intellectual property. The Government must move quickly to show it is serious about the issue and rebuild trust with the creative industries."