Thank you for your views on AI. What happens next?

We understand that, for many, this is a complicated issue and that there will be a wide range of views among our membership. I would like to sincerely thank everybody who took the time to share their views, whatever those views may be.

It is our belief that a licensing solution is the most practical path forward for ensuring authors are recognised and fairly compensated for the use of their work in AI systems, if that is what they choose.

This is because no other means of ensuring a fair deal for writers looks feasible any time soon. We have seen no indication that the Government plans to address this issue through a robust regulatory solution. Similarly, the most significant legal cases are being litigated in the US and we do not anticipate a clear and definitive outcome from these any time soon. Self-regulation by tech companies themselves appears even less likely. Currently, they do not even concede that they are doing anything wrong.

However, it is vital that any course of action has broad support from our members. We will only pursue what our membership is comfortable with. That is why this survey is so important, and why are we thrilled with the level of engagement we have seen.

We will now take some time to carefully analyse the results and develop an appropriate course of action consistent with your views. We expect to announce the findings of the survey in October, before presenting our plans around this issue at our AGM on 28 November.

In the meantime, we will keep working hard to ensure that authors’ voices are heard as debates around AI continue to unfold. Earlier this month, we sent a letter to AI companies with our partners in the creative industries, demanding that they stop the unauthorised use of authors’ works.

We have also begun reaching out to key ministers in the new Government. Feryal Clark MP was recently appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for AI and Digital Government and is responsible for both AI and intellectual property (IP). We look forward to working closely with her over the coming years to ensure that IP rights are not undermined by technological development.

With new and developing technological and political landscapes, this is a crucial moment for ensuring authors’ hard-won rights are protected and supported. There are significant challenges, but there are opportunities too. For the last 47 years, we have secured compensation for writers wherever their works are used. Rest assured that we will continue to do so.

Barbara Hayes
Chief Executive, ALCS

You can read more about our campaigning work here.