House of Lords votes to require companies to reveal material used to train AI

Peers in the House of Lords have voted for an amendment to the Data (Use and Access) Bill requiring artificial intelligence (AI) companies to disclose which copyrighted material they have used to train their AI models. Despite government opposition, the House of Lords has for a second time voted to require AI companies to be more transparent in their use of copyright-protected content.

The vote follows the publication of an open letter to Keir Starmer signed by more than 400 artists and creative business leaders, urging the Prime Minister to support proposals protecting copyright and the creative industries as AI continues to develop. Signatories to the letter come from across the UK’s creative sector, and include Sir Simon Rattle, Elton John, Paul McCartney, Florence Welch, Kate Bush, Ian McKellen, Shirley Bassey and Antony Gormley.

In the letter, the Creative Rights in AI Coalition, which co-ordinated the initiative, said: ‘These amendments recognise the crucial role that creative content plays in the development of generative AI. They will spur a dynamic licensing market that will enhance the role of human creativity in the UK, positioning us as a key player in the global AI supply chain. We will lose an immense growth opportunity if we give our work away at the behest of a handful of powerful overseas tech companies and with it our future income, the UK’s position as a creative powerhouse, and any hope that the technology of daily life will embody the values and laws of the United Kingdom.’

The government’s current proposal follows the EU’s rights reservation mechanism and constitutes an opt-out system which many in the music industry believe does not protect artists. The amendment was tabled by crossbench peer Beeban Kidron and was passed by 272 votes to 125. It will now return to the House of Commons, but may return to the House of Lords next week if the government removes the Kidron amendment.

Baroness Kidron said: ‘The UK creative industries reflect our national stories, drive tourism, create wealth for the nation and provide 2.4 million jobs across our four nations. They must not be sacrificed to the interests of a handful of US tech companies. Nor should we underestimate the role of human creativity in the joy of being human nor the need for common facts to cement our collective experience. The UK is in a unique position to take its place a global player in the international AI supply chain, but to grasp that opportunity requires the transparency provided for in my amendments, which are essential to create a vibrant licencing market.’