CoSTAR National Lab proposes a new AI copyright framework for UK creative industries

A ground-breaking report released today by CoSTAR National R&D Lab with partners DECaDE and Sheridans, aims to provide creative industries and AI developers with a framework to guide them through challenges around content usage, rights and remuneration in the age of generative artificial intelligence.  

This report addresses some of the issues arising from the government's recent consultation on AI and copyright. It is not designed to be a panacea, or a quick fix to any of them, but a practical and technical rights respecting guidance towards developing a fair and ethical future system for the use of creative work. 

Industry and academic experts worked in consultation with over 20 leading creative rights holders and AI Developers to produce ‘Time to ACCCT: Providing Creative Industries and AI Developers with a Copyright Framework of Access, Control, Consent, Compensation and Transparency’. The report sets out a framework that would enable a machine-readable, publicly available approach for copyright holders to either consent or protect their work from data and text mining, whilst also allowing AI companies to legally access data.  

The report comes amid growing legal and ethical concerns about the use of copyrighted materials in generative AI, with artists, authors, musicians, and other creators rallying against a proposed ‘opt out’ approach to text and data mining. At the same time, to encourage AI developers to base and grow their businesses in the UK, developers are seeking clearer, more consistent guidance and tools for lawful and responsible data usage. The ACCCT framework explores the potential for a technological, and legal framework that would be required to create shared interests and retain continuity with three centuries of copyright protection.  

Sir Peter Bazalgette, co-chair of the Creative Industries Council said:  

“This report provides tangible and achievable steps forward in making the UK creative industries not just fit for the age of GenAI, but a world-leader where AI Developers and creative rights holders want to base their business.” 

Benjamin Field, CEO, Deep Fusion Films said: 

"The report is a vital step towards ensuring that human creativity isn’t sidelined by AI, but strengthened through it. It’s grounded in the realities of the creative industries—economically, technically and artistically—and outlines a clear, practical pathway to a fairer ecosystem. I’m proud to have contributed to a framework that puts creators at the centre of the conversation and offers a vision where innovation and authorship can thrive together.” 

Download a copy of the full report here. 

About DECaDE   

DECaDE is the UKRI/EPSRC Centre for the Decentralized Digital Economy, a multi-disciplinary research centre led by the University of Surrey in partnership with the University of Edinburgh and the Digital Catapult. DECaDE is a £10 million research centre funded 2020-2026 by industry and the UKRI/EPSRC under grant EP/T022485/1.   

DECaDE’s mission is to explore how decentralised platforms and data centric technologies such as AI and Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) can help create  value and in our future digital economy in which everyone is a producer and consumer of digital goods and services.  DECaDE studies these questions primarily through the lens of the creative industries, which have shifted from monolithic content producers to a decentralised model where individuals and smaller production houses also increasingly produce and consume content disseminated via online platforms.  As a multidisciplinary academic research centre, DECaDE brings together technical expertise in AI, DLT and Cyber-security, with business, law, and human factors / design.    

About Sheridans   

Sheridans is a leading media and technology law firm whose lawyers combine in-depth legal and commercial knowledge with breadth of expertise and experience to give unparalleled advice to their clients.    

Since 1956, Sheridans has represented individuals and organisations across a wide variety of media sectors, providing quality advice which is commercially focused and personally delivered. Specialist lawyers in media, entertainment, sport, leisure and technology work closely alongside the firm’s corporate finance, employment, real estate, family and dispute resolution groups to provide a truly bespoke service to its clients.