Labour has been accused of kowtowing to Silicon Valley and abandoning its history of valuing intellectual copyright.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government has been dealt another blow in its bid to introduce new laws around the use of copyright materials to train artificial intelligence.
The current Labour administration has made no secret of its desire to turn the UK into an AI powerhouse, with both public and private sectors in line for mass automation. However, it has so far failed to convince its own peers and those of other parties that the Data (Use and Access) Bill is fit for purpose.
The proposed legislation was defeated in the House of Lords for a second time yesterday, Monday 19th May. 287 peers voted in favour of an amendment by Baroness Kidron, with just 118 backing the existing Bill. It will now return to the House of Commons.
Cross-party peers showed strong support for the additional elements tabled by Kidron, a film director and digital rights campaigner who has accused the government of trying to ‘redefine theft’ after being swayed by ‘the whisperings of Silicon Valley’.
Kidron, a cross-bench peer, has proposed changes which would force artificial intelligence companies to be transparent about what they are using to train programmes. They would also be forced to get permission from copyright holders before taking their work to develop models.
Expressing dismay at the current legislative trajectory, she claimed this will lead to no compensation for creators and no requirement to disclose what has been scraped to improve AI.
‘There’s no industrial sector in the UK that government policy requires to give its property or labour to another sector – which is in direct competition with it – on a compulsory basis, in the name of balance,’ said Kidron.
‘The government has got it wrong,’ she continued. ‘They have been turned by the sweet whisperings of Silicon Valley who have stolen – and continue to steal every day we take no action – the UK’s extraordinary, beautiful and valuable creative output. Silicon Valley has persuaded the government that it’s easier for them to redefine theft than make them pay for what they have stolen.’
Labour’s Lord Brennan was amongst the most vocal backers of the amendment, and claimed his party was at risk of creating a ‘double standard’ and abandoning its strong history of advocacy for intellectual copyright. Lord Watson, another government peer, went further by quoting lyrics by Sir Elton John.
Last weekend, the world famous singer, songwriter and musician suggested ministers would themselves be guilty of ‘committing theft’ if they allowed the continued use of copyright materials to train AI. He also said Labour were ‘losers’ due to their stance on the matter. Paul McCartney, Annie Lennox and Kate Bush have also been highly critical.
Lord Knight joined in calling for his own party to take further action now ‘before the gate is trampled down by the horses’.
‘If this door is left open we will destroy the future of our creative industries,’ he warned.
Technology Minister Baroness Jones again defended the Bill, pleading with peers not to vote down the will of MPs. Architect of the policy, she claimed the proposed regulations were ‘not about Silicon Valley’ and her government was not complacent about the need to protect creatives.
Image: James Newcombe / Unsplash
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