Mon, 02 Jun 2025

Mon, 02 Jun 2025 Government AI copyright plan suffers fourth House of Lords defeat

The bitter row over how to protect artists in the artificial intelligence age returns to the Lords.

* The House of Lords has voted down a government amendment to the Data (Use and Access) Bill, which would have allowed tech companies to use copyrighted material to train their models without permission.
* Peers rejected the amendment 242-116, calling for greater transparency and safeguards for copyright holders.
* The bill will now be returned to the Commons, where it could be discussed as soon as Tuesday.
* Support for opposing the government's plans is growing, with some arguing that the current proposals would "kill the AI industry in this country".
* Proponents of stronger protections for creators argue that tech companies should be forced to disclose which copyrighted material they use and obtain licenses.
* The government has proposed a consultation on the issue, but peers are calling for more immediate action to protect creative industries.
* The debate is over how to balance the demands of the tech and creative sectors, with no easy answer in sight.
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