Caroline Norbury: The challenge we face is not AI itself – it’s building effective AI-creator partnerships

The consultation window on the UK Government’s proposed ‘opt out’ system for AI and copyright is now closed – and yet it seems like the voices both ‘for’ and ‘against’ have never been louder.

This is a complex and divisive debate. Should policymakers move forward with a proposed rights reservation mechanism (aka an opt-out) which is intended to balance rights holders’ ability to safeguard their work? Or, in plainer terms – should AI developers be able to access data such as scripts, media, music, visual art to train their models, unless the rights owner specifically says no?

Impassioned arguments are frequently set up as binary, with AI presented as either the ‘bad guy’ or the savior of every industry from healthcare through to tech. This approach simply does not reflect the reality of the situation at hand.

The UK Government, and many in the Creative Industries perceive AI as a core driver of economic expansion. Whilst the potential is undeniable, one thing is clear: that growth cannot come at the expense of the creators who fuel the entire system.

The challenge we face is not AI itself. The cultural and creative sectors are already embracing AI in exciting ways – from streamlining production processes to pioneering new art forms. The issue is how AI developers access, use and monetise creative content; and whether creators receive fair compensation for their work. Without a robust and enforceable copyright framework, we risk an extractive model where creative labour is devalued and AI innovation is built on unlicensed, uncompensated content.

The UK Government’s preferred option (to introduce an opt-out system for text and data mining (TDM) which would give AI developers license to ingest and train on copyrighted content by default – unless creators actively opt out) is framed as a balanced solution: a system where AI developers can innovate, whilst creators retain a mechanism to protect their work.

But let’s be clear: this is not balance. It is a significant economic power shift away from creators and towards large technology platforms.

We are being presented with a false choice: either weaken copyright protections to foster AI growth, or risk stifling innovation. This is a flawed and unnecessary trade-off. Instead, we need a framework that enables responsible AI development, whilst ensuring that creators are fairly compensated. That means licensing, not opt-outs; mandatory transparency and stronger enforcement of copyright protections.

The UK has an opportunity to lead, here: not by weakening copyright, but by setting a gold standard for AI-creator partnerships. That means designing a system where licensing creative content is the norm, transparency is mandated and creators share in the economic value that AI generates from their work.

The decisions we make today will define the future of both AI and the creative economy. We must get this right – not just for the artists, writers, musicians and creators of today, but for the future of the UK’s cultural and creative industries as a whole.