The Government has today (15 December 2025) published a statement on Artificial Intelligence and copyright. It’s an interim statement, before Ministers provide a fuller economic impact statement and report on copyright and AI. Both are required under the Data (Use and Access) Act, which came into law in the summer, and must be published before 18 March 2026.
WGGB members will remember the Government consultation on copyright and AI earlier this year – and many of you responded. The Government had (unusually for a consultation) put forward its preferred option – an ‘opt out’ option, which we (and many others in the creative industries) opposed.
We are adamant that to protect writers’ rights and remuneration the Government must instead adopt an opt-in model for copyright and AI. They must protect and strengthen existing copyright protections and they must introduce transparency measures so that creators know when their work has been used to train large language models. Creators must give their explicit consent, and they must be paid.
Creators and the creative industries have spoken in high numbers and with one voice, as the Government’s statement today reveals. There were over 11,500 responses to the consultation, over 10,000 of which were via the Government’s online survey service, Citizen Space. Of these, an overwhelming, 88% expressed support for the option WGGB prefers: option 1, which requires copyright licences in all cases.
The remaining options presented in the consultation, in order of preference were: making no changes to copyright law (option 0, supported by 7% of respondents); introduction of an exception to copyright for all text and data mining purposes with rights reservation (option 3, supported by 3% of respondents); and introduction of an exception to copyright for all text and data mining purposes with no rights reservation (option 2, supported by 0.5% of respondents). 1.5% of respondents did not indicate a preferred option.
There was also strong support across the creative industries for the introduction of statutory transparency measures in relation to AI training to support licensing of copyright works.
WGGB General Secretary Ellie Peers said:
“It’s loud and clear, there is widespread opposition from the creative industries to the Government’s initial preferred option of an ‘opt out’ and a copyright exception for text and data mining. If we are to see an end to the industrial-scale theft of writers’ and other creators’ work, and to protect the creators and creative industries of the future, then UK copyright needs to be enforced not weakened. We will see whether Ministers have been listening when they come back with their full report next year.
“WGGB will continue to take an active part in all Government AI and copyright consultations and working groups, and to continue to fight to protect writers’ rights and copyright.”
Read the Government’s statement here.
Visit our campaign page on Writers and AI here.