
AI Trained on Copyrighted Material Without Permission Poses ‘Direct Threat' to Film Industry, Says BFI
Authors
Other issues raised include concerns about the future of the workforce, as well as the need for new skills training for sector employees to be able to adapt to and operate in an AI-enhanced screen industry.
The report on the use of AI in the film, TV, visual special effects, and video game industries published on Monday says the source of training data for generative AI models includes scripts from more that 130,000 films and television shows, as well as databases of pirated books and content uploaded to YouTube.
The analysis was carried out in partnership with CoSTAR, the UK's creative research and development network which is led by Goldsmiths, Loughborough, and Edinburgh universities.
Professor Jonny Freeman, director of CoSTAR Foresight Lab, said that the landscape of AI is complex, with both disadvantages and advantages for its inclusion in the screen sector.
Related Stories
2/25/2025
5/22/2025
Freeman said, 'The report acknowledges that while AI offers powerful tools to enhance creativity, efficiency and competitiveness across every stage of the production workflow – from script development and pre-production planning, through on-set production, to post-production and distribution – it also raises urgent questions around skills, workforce adaptation, ethics, and sector sustainability.'
AI Used in Industry
One of the BFI's recommendations is for the UK to establish AI training licences, enabling deals between intellectual property (IP) rightsholders and AI developers.
'The UK is well-positioned to lead in this space, thanks to its 'gold standard' copyright regime, a vibrant creative technology ecosystem, and a coalition of creative organisations advocating for fair licensing practices.' the report says.
AI is already been used for dubbing and visual effects in film and televisions, notably in the post-production of 'The Brutalist,' starring Adrien Brody, which
Adrien Brody attending the special screening of The Brutalist, at Picturehouse Central Cinema, London, on Jan. 15, 2025.
Ian West/PA Wire
The report also recommends the screen sector build skills complementary to AI, making the workforce resilient to technological changes.
'AI automation may, in time, lower demand for certain digital content creation skills. It may also create new opportunities for roles that require human oversight, creative direction, and technical fluency in AI systems,' it said.
Rishi Coupland, the BFI's director of research and innovation, said the report 'comes at a critical time and shows how generative AI presents an inflection point for the sector and, as a sector, we need to act quickly on a number of key strategic fronts.'
'While it offers significant opportunities for the screen sector such as speeding up production workflows, democratising content creation and empowering new voices, it could also erode traditional business models, displace skilled workers, and undermine public trust in screen content,' he said.
Artists Call for IP Protections
The report was published as the government attempts to pass the Data (Use and Access) Bill, which would allow tech companies to train their AI on copyrighted material unless the creator explicitly opts out. The House of Lords has been demanding an amendment be added to ensure artists are offered copyright protection.
High-profile artists are also calling for better protections for their creative output.
In February,
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy arrives in Downing Street, London, England, on Oct. 30, 2024.
Lucy North/PA Wire
Last week, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy sought to reassure the creative sector that artists would not be harmed by future legislation and AI.
Addressing the Media & Telecoms 2025 and Beyond Conference on June 3, she
'I will never stop working for creatives to deliver solutions, transparency and the empowerment that you need in the digital age. We are a Labour government, and the principle of people must be paid for their work is foundational, and you have our word that if it doesn't work for the creative industries, it will not work for us,' Nandy said.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
38 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Alibaba Cloud Founder on China's AI Future
In an exclusive interview with Bloomberg Television's Annabelle Droulers, Alibaba Cloud Founder and Zhejiang Lab Director Wang Jian says "healthy competition" in China's AI industry is helping the country develop into a fast-paced test-bed to get products to market. He also addresses the big pay packets being offered in Silicon Valley to hire AI talent. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data


Digital Trends
41 minutes ago
- Digital Trends
Unitree's R1 brings smart humanoid robots within reach
Unitree Robotics has launched the R1, a remarkable humanoid robot capable of walking, running, dancing, cartwheeling, and even kung-fu kicks. It can also respond to voice commands and hold basic spoken conversations using integrated, AI-powered speech recognition, and process visual inputs via its built-in cameras. Even more remarkable is its price: $5,900. China-based Unitree has designed the R1 as an affordable, lightweight humanoid robot and is aiming it at developers, tech enthusiasts, research labs, and educational institutions, though actually anyone can buy it. It's not clear if Unitree has any particular ambitions for the practical use of the R1, but that's partly why it's making it available to one and all, as developers will no doubt be keen to see what they can get it doing. A home help? Perhaps. Face-to-robot-face customer service at malls, airports, and hotels? Maybe. Entertainers? That already looks like a safe bet. The R1 humanoid robot stands at 47.6 inches (1.21 meters) tall and tips the scales at 55 pounds (25 kg). As you can see from the footage in the video at the top of this page, the robot is extremely versatile, thanks in part to its 26 functional joints, which, to be frank, is more than what many humans have the day after some particularly strenuous exercise. The R1 is powered by a lithium battery, but at the current time it can only offer one hour of operation before it needs charging. Sadly, unlike Ubtech's Walker S2 robot, it can't swap out its own batteries, so you'll have to do that yourself. Importantly, it also comes with a remote control, so you can quickly turn it off in the unlikely event that it suddenly goes rogue. Notably, the R1 costs considerably less than Unitree's more complex G1, another humanoid robot that it released last year for $16,000. Compared to the G1, the R1 has been deliberately designed to be a simpler humanoid robot suitable for educational and light research use. Unitree is one of a growing number of tech firms globally that are developing smart, agile, bipedal robots. The technology has improved dramatically in recent years, with many companies eyeing them for industrial use where they can work alongside human workers, though of course many suggest that at some point those human workers will be replaced.


Fox News
42 minutes ago
- Fox News
Trump declaring US must win the AI race is 'one of the most important' statements of this term, says former deputy director of national intelligence
Former deputy director of national intelligence Cliff Sims explains why President Trump's stance on A.I. is so important on 'Sunday Night in America.'