UK AI survey shows public backing stronger copyright protections
New UK survey results show strong support for protecting creative rights in the age of AI. Here’s what artists need to know.
Results from a recent UK government survey on artificial intelligence have revealed widespread concern about how AI systems use creative work, with a clear majority of respondents calling for stronger copyright protections. The findings underline growing public unease around the rapid adoption of generative AI and its impact on artists, writers, musicians and other rights holders.
The survey, conducted as part of ongoing consultations by the UK Government, asked individuals and organisations for their views on how copyright law should apply to AI training and outputs. According to the results, many respondents feel current frameworks do not go far enough to protect creators, particularly when copyrighted material is used to train AI models without permission or compensation.
A key theme emerging from the responses is transparency. Participants repeatedly stressed the need for AI developers to clearly disclose what data is being used to train their systems, as well as how copyrighted works are sourced. Many also argued that creators should have the ability to opt out of having their work used for AI training, or be fairly paid if it is included.
The findings arrive amid intense debate across the UK’s creative industries, where artists and trade bodies have warned that unchecked AI development could undermine livelihoods. Musicians, authors and visual artists have increasingly voiced fears that AI-generated content trained on existing work risks devaluing human creativity while benefiting technology companies at the expense of creators.
Respondents to the survey also expressed scepticism about proposals that would allow AI companies broad exemptions from copyright law. Instead, there was strong support for maintaining and strengthening existing protections, with many urging the government to avoid policies that prioritise innovation without safeguarding rights holders.
The UK government has said the survey results will help inform future policy decisions as it seeks to balance technological growth with the protection of creative industries, which contribute billions to the national economy each year. Officials have acknowledged the complexity of the issue, noting that any changes to copyright law could have long-term consequences for both creators and AI developers.
While no immediate legislative changes have been announced, the survey results add pressure on policymakers to take a firmer stance. With public opinion clearly leaning toward stronger copyright enforcement, the government now faces calls to ensure that AI innovation does not come at the cost of creative labour.