House of Lords defeat government over AI fears in Data Bill

Today the government was defeated in the House of Lords on the Data Bill by a margin of 19 votes. Amendments led by Baroness Kidron and others would mandate that AI companies be more transparent about their use of copyrighted works, such as music, for training their models.

Dame Caroline Dinenage MP DBE, Member of Parliament for Gosport and Chair of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee, praised the decision, saying, “The Lords made the right call tonight by supporting Baroness Kidron's amendments. AI is a powerful tool with great potential for society, but British intellectual property must be protected and respected.”

Prominent figures in the creative industry, like Justine Bateman, have strongly criticised generative AI, calling it a form of theft. She argues it has essentially “stolen 100 years of film and television,” which she describes as one of the most significant violations in copyright history. Bateman warns this could ultimately lead to the collapse of the entertainment industry.

On the policy front, there are concerns about the European Union's proposed broad copyright exception for AI training. This would allow creators to "opt out," but critics argue that very few will exercise this right, and the policy could potentially violate international treaties like the Berne Convention on copyright protection. Critics are already highlighting the risks and flaws in this approach.