Copyright Clash Looms as UK Deepens Ties with AI Giant OpenAI

As the UK deepens its ties with AI giant OpenAI, a major clash over copyright is looming in the background. The revelation of talks about a £2 billion national ChatGPT deal comes as the government’s own proposed changes to copyright law have drawn the ire of the nation’s creative sector.
The government is reviewing rules that would permit AI companies to train their models on copyrighted works without the owner’s permission unless they specifically opt out. This proposal is seen by many artists and writers as a direct threat to their intellectual property and income, benefiting companies like OpenAI.
The friendly, high-level discussions between Technology Secretary Peter Kyle and OpenAI’s Sam Altman will likely be viewed with suspicion by the creative industries. They may see it as further evidence that the government is siding with powerful tech corporations in the critical battle over data and copyright.
This creates a significant policy tension. The government wants to be a world leader in both AI and the creative industries, but its current path seems to be prioritising the former at the potential expense of the latter. The ongoing copyright consultation will be a key test of where its ultimate loyalties lie.