Protecting creative workers from the impact of AI
The TUC has today launched its manifesto on AI for creative workers, which outlines a number of values and proposals to protect creative workers from the impact of AI.
The manifesto, which Bectu fed into, has warned that the creative industries are at risk without stronger regulations on AI and copyright.
It calls for:
- An opt-in system to protect creative work from commercial data mining
- Transparency of AI training data to ensure workers know whether their data or images are being used
- Stronger rights for creative industries workers to be attributed as authors or performers of their work
- An independent regulator to oversee and regulate the integration of AI into society and work
- Stronger rights for creative industries workers to be attributed as authors or performers of their work
- Ensure creative workers are paid fairly for their work when their creative work is used to train AI models, including both past and future appropriation.
- A new creative industry AI taskforce that would bring together creative workers, unions and technologists to herald a new era of tech participation and engagement.
The manifesto comes as the Government has been consulting on copyright and AI frameworks to support creative workers.
In Bectu’s submission to the consultation, we argued that a copyright exemption for AI training would fundamentally harm the UK’s world-leading creative industries. We urged the Government to consider how this would in turn impact the creative industries workforce, arguably the backbone of the UK’s ‘soft power’ industries.
As a union representing workers across both the tech and digital sectors (via our parent union, Prospect) and the creative industries, we understand the vulnerability surrounding AI developments in the sector. It is essential that the Government fully recognise that the creative and tech ecosystems cannot thrive economically unless both sectors are well protected.
The Government must ensure investment into the creative industries is maintained, and that AI is regulated so there is transparency and accountability in its application, that does not undercut human creativity and inadvertently take value away from a thriving creative industry. Value must be developed in both the tech and creative industries, rather than seeing a transfer of value from one to the other – and protecting the workforce is at the core of this.
You can read a summary of our submission here.
Head of Bectu Philippa Childs said:
“There is enormous potential in AI, and with proper regulation, such advanced technology could bring many benefits and opportunities to the creative industries.
“But the government must be firm in its commitment to supporting creators. We welcome the TUC’s manifesto and echo its calls for stronger protection for the workforce and greater transparency on AI training data.
“A copyright exemption for AI training would fundamentally harm the UK’s world-leading creative industries and we urge the Government to consider how this would in turn impact the workforce, arguably the backbone of the UK’s ‘soft power’ industries.
“As government proposals continue and the IPO consultation progresses, Bectu will be focusing on ensuring members’ needs and interests are accounted for.”