Bodies representing the UK’s directors, writers and actors have written to big tech firms challenging them for using their work to train generative AI models.

The Creators Rights Alliance (CRA) has today penned the letter, citing the need to “safeguard human creativity, truthful content and the rights of authors, creators, and performers.”

The CRA represents more than 500,000 members of bodies and unions including those from Directors UK, the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain and British Equity, all of whom have been active in the artificial intelligence debate space of late.

The issue, according to the CRA, is the use of work protected by copyright in the development of operational AI models such as large language models. In a nutshell, the alliance, amongst other things, wants big tech firms to pay creatives for this use or seek consent, and flags that UK law “does not allow copying for such purposes without the explicit consent of the creator,” in the letter that can be read in full below.

The alliance calls on “developers of all, but especially generative, AI systems” to adhere to seven points including “providing full transparency about the works which have been used to develop their model,” “making detailed requests for any works they seek to use in future” and offering “appropriate remuneration for all uses – past and future.”

“The CRA and its members would welcome your engagement in progressing these models to ensure that all our creative work makes for a prosperous and vibrant future for everyone,” added the letter.

The AI issue has been a hot button topic amongst these groups since it started dominating the zeitgeist, and they are all seeking safeguards to protect members.

The letter in full

Dear Chief Executive,

We are writing to you on behalf of our 500,000-plus creator members in relation to the use of their work to develop generative AI models. This letter reaffirms that members of the Creators’ Rights Alliance and the creators they represent do not authorise or otherwise grant permission for the use of any of their works protected by copyright and/or related rights (including performers rights) in relation to, without limitation, the training, development, or operation of AI models, including large language models, diffusion models, generative or other any other AI products, unless the creators have specifically agreed licensing arrangements.

The Creators’ Rights Alliance (CRA) is a coalition that exists to promote, protect and further the interests of creators through policy, advocacy, and campaigning work. We speak on behalf of major creator-led groups, trade associations, and unions, between them representing over 500,000 individual members working as professional creators in the UK’s creative industries – from authors, artists, photographers and illustrators to translators, performers, musicians, and journalists.

We know that artificial intelligence, including generative AI programs can be useful tools. However, to safeguard human creativity, truthful content and the rights of authors, creators, and performers, it is vital that AI models are developed and used in a legal, sustainable, and ethical manner.

The CRA notes with concern the use of vast amounts of work protected by copyright and related rights without the authorisation of the rightsholder(s) and creator(s) in the development (including so-called training), and operation of AI models. This has caused and continues to cause great harm to the significant creative, human, and financial investment made by authors, performers, and visual creators.

UK law does not allow copying for such purposes without the explicit consent of the creator or their licensee/appointed representatives. Accordingly, the large-scale copying (including, but not limited to, extraction and transformation) that has been carried out to date amounts to copyright infringement for which

rightsholders and creators should be compensated, along with the option of having their works, and derivations of those works, removed and, where permission is granted for them not to be removed, full credit for all uses past and present to be given.

We would draw your attention to the report from the House of Lords Communications and Digital Committee Inquiry into Large Language Models (LLMs), to which Society of Authors provided evidence, which supported the fact that tech firms should not use copyright-protected works without permission or compensation, that there should be support for licensing, and that there should be transparency for rightsholders.

The House of Commons Innovation, Science and Technology Committee also published a Legacy Report on 29th May 2024, the report outlines twelve clear challenges for AI Governance.

Members of the Creators’ Rights Alliance and the creators they represent do not authorise or otherwise grant permission for the use of any of their works protected by copyright and related rights (including performers rights) in relation to, without limitation, the training, development, or operation of AI models, including large language models, diffusion models, generative or other any other AI products, unless they have specifically agreed licensing arrangements.

For the avoidance of doubt, our members do not accept that any AI platform had or has the right to use their work without an express license, or their personal data without express consent.

We call on developers of all, but especially generative, AI systems:

We urge developers to agree terms on a commercial basis with respective rightsholders and where those rightsholders are not the creators themselves, to satisfy themselves that creators have given specific consent. Licensing opportunities already exist, and additional models are being developed to facilitate yet more good work. The CRA and its members would welcome your engagement in progressing these models to ensure that all our creative work makes for a prosperous and vibrant future for everyone.