Minister says AI ‘does lie' but defends Government amid copyright row
Peter Kyle acknowledged the technology was 'not flawless' as he insisted the Government would 'never sell downstream' the rights of artists in the UK.
He also said he had 'mistakenly' said his preferred option on AI and copyright was requiring rights-holders to 'opt out' of their material being used by tech companies, and had since 'gone back to the drawing board'.
Ministers have faced a backlash from major figures in the creative industries over their approach to copyright, with Sir Elton John this week describing the situation as an 'existential issue.'
The Government is locked in a standoff with the House of Lords, which has demanded artists to be offered immediate copyright protection as an amendment to the Data (Use and Access) Bill.
Peers have attempted to change the legislation by adding a commitment to introduce transparency requirements aimed at ensuring rights-holders are able to see when their work has been used and by whom.
Asked about the risk of AI producing unreliable information, Mr Kyle said 'people need to understand that AI is not flawless, and that AI does lie because it's based on human characteristics'.
'Now it is getting more precise as we move forward. It's getting more powerful as we move forward,' he told Sky News's Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips.
'But as with every single technology that comes into society, you can only safely use it and wisely use it by understanding how it works.'
He added: 'We are going to legislate for AI going forward and we're going to balance it with the same legislation that we'll bring in to modernise the copyright legislation as well.'
The Government has said it will address copyright issues as a whole after the more than 11,500 responses to its consultation on the impact of AI have been reviewed, rather than in what it has branded 'piecemeal' legislation.
Among the proposals had been a suggestion that tech companies could be given free access to British music, films, books in order to train AI models without permission or payment, with artists required to 'opt-out' if they do not want their work to be used.
Asked about the prospect of an opt-out clause, Mr Kyle told the BBC's Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme: 'I always had on the table from the outset an opt-out clause.
'But I mistakenly said this was my preferred option that had more prominence than perhaps some of the creatives wanted it to have, and I've now sort of gone back to the drawing board on that, because I am listening to what people want.'
Last month hundreds of stars including Sir Elton, Sir Paul McCartney and Kate Bush signed a joint letter to Sir Keir Starmer urging the Prime Minister to introduce safeguards against work being plundered for free.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Western Telegraph
an hour ago
- Western Telegraph
Jeremy Clarkson bans fan from The Farmer's Dog pub
It comes after fans took online to slam the Clarkson's Farm star for the price of a pie at his new pub, The Farmer's Dog. The pub has been at the centre of the latest series of Clarkson's Farm. As well as the departure of Kaleb Cooper and the arrival of new star Harriet Cowan, Jeremy's bid to open a new pub in the Cotswolds has been the key storyline of the latest batch of episodes. Since opening, The Farmer's Dog has attracted huge crowds. Renovated by Jeremy, along with help from his girlfriend Lisa Hogan. Series 4 of Clarkson's Farm. Who do we like most? Endgame? Or Richard Ham? — Jeremy Clarkson (@JeremyClarkson) May 30, 2025 During the show, Jeremy reformed his collective of local farmers, who he had agreed to help out by buying their produce for his pub along with his own beef, in a bid to make sure everything sold in the pub and Lisa's farm shop could be sourced locally and with British produce while still being an affordable price. But some Clarkson's Farm fans say they have a slightly different view on what is affordable, as they hit out at the £24 asking price for a pie and veg at the new pub. Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, user @kalrlk said: "Thought @JeremyClarkson wanted an affordable pub for customers. £24 for pie and veg is a bit much." @devonboy3410 said: "Dead weight for British beef is far too expensive £6.89/kg for R4L down from the record high £6.98/kg earlier in the month. I can't wait till we get US beef cuts here because British beef industry is now taking the p*** at those prices." Recommended reading: Jeremy then replied to tell them: "You are now banned from the pub." Another said to Jeremy: "@grok what would be the price in the UK to buy and raise local cows and how does that translate to the beef pie price of 24 British pounds." Jeremy replied: "Watch the show. It's explained." @cudaplumcrazy said: "Your cows aren't they Jeremy?", to which Clarkson said: "Some are. Most come from other farmers in the area and we pay a premium. We are here to back British farming. If you don't want to do that, fine. Enjoy your chlorine." The first six episodes of Clarkson's Farm 4 are now available on the service, with another two to follow this Friday.
The Guardian
2 hours ago
- The Guardian
Campainers urge UK watchdog to limit use of AI after report of Meta's plan to automate checks
Internet safety campaigners have urged the UK's communications watchdog to limit the use of artificial intelligence in crucial risk assessments following a report that Mark Zuckerberg's Meta was planning to automate checks. Ofcom said it was 'considering the concerns' raised by the letter following a report last month that up to 90% of all risk assessments at the owner of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp would soon be carried out by AI. Social media platforms are required under the UK's Online Safety Act to gauge how harm could take place on their services and how they plan to mitigate those potential harms – with a particular focus on protecting child users and preventing illegal content from appearing. The risk assessment process is viewed as key aspect of the act. In a letter to Ofcom's chief executive, Dame Melanie Dawes, organisations including the Molly Rose Foundation, the NSPCC and the Internet Watch Foundation described the prospect of AI-driven risk assessments as a 'retrograde and highly alarming step'. 'We urge you to publicly assert that risk assessments will not normally be considered as 'suitable and sufficient', the standard required by … the Act, where these have been wholly or predominantly produced through automation.' The letter also urged the watchdog to 'challenge any assumption that platforms can choose to water down their risk assessment processes'. A spokesperson for Ofcom said: 'We've been clear that services should tell us who completed, reviewed and approved their risk assessment. We are considering the concerns raised in this letter and will respond in due course.' Sign up to TechScape A weekly dive in to how technology is shaping our lives after newsletter promotion Meta said the letter deliberately misstated the company's approach on safety and it was committed to high standards and complying with regulations. 'We are not using AI to make decisions about risk,' said a Meta spokesperson. 'Rather, our experts built a tool that helps teams identify when legal and policy requirements apply to specific products. We use technology, overseen by humans, to improve our ability to manage harmful content and our technological advancements have significantly improved safety outcomes.' The Molly Rose Foundation organised the letter after NPR, a US broadcaster, reported last month that updates to Meta's algorithms and new safety features will mostly be approved by an AI system and no longer scrutinised by staffers. According to one former Meta executive, who spoke to NPR anonymously, the change will allow the company to launch app updates and features on Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp more quickly but would create 'higher risks' for users, because potential problems are less likely to be prevented before a new product is released to the public. NPR also reported that Meta was considering automating reviews for sensitive areas including youth risk and monitoring the spread of falsehoods.
South Wales Guardian
3 hours ago
- South Wales Guardian
Minister says AI ‘does lie' but defends Government amid copyright row
Peter Kyle acknowledged the technology was 'not flawless' as he insisted the Government would 'never sell downstream' the rights of artists in the UK. He also said he had 'mistakenly' said his preferred option on AI and copyright was requiring rights-holders to 'opt out' of their material being used by tech companies, and had since 'gone back to the drawing board'. Ministers have faced a backlash from major figures in the creative industries over their approach to copyright, with Sir Elton John this week describing the situation as an 'existential issue.' The Government is locked in a standoff with the House of Lords, which has demanded artists to be offered immediate copyright protection as an amendment to the Data (Use and Access) Bill. Peers have attempted to change the legislation by adding a commitment to introduce transparency requirements aimed at ensuring rights-holders are able to see when their work has been used and by whom. Asked about the risk of AI producing unreliable information, Mr Kyle said 'people need to understand that AI is not flawless, and that AI does lie because it's based on human characteristics'. 'Now it is getting more precise as we move forward. It's getting more powerful as we move forward,' he told Sky News's Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips. 'But as with every single technology that comes into society, you can only safely use it and wisely use it by understanding how it works.' He added: 'We are going to legislate for AI going forward and we're going to balance it with the same legislation that we'll bring in to modernise the copyright legislation as well.' The Government has said it will address copyright issues as a whole after the more than 11,500 responses to its consultation on the impact of AI have been reviewed, rather than in what it has branded 'piecemeal' legislation. Among the proposals had been a suggestion that tech companies could be given free access to British music, films, books in order to train AI models without permission or payment, with artists required to 'opt-out' if they do not want their work to be used. Asked about the prospect of an opt-out clause, Mr Kyle told the BBC's Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme: 'I always had on the table from the outset an opt-out clause. 'But I mistakenly said this was my preferred option that had more prominence than perhaps some of the creatives wanted it to have, and I've now sort of gone back to the drawing board on that, because I am listening to what people want.' Last month hundreds of stars including Sir Elton, Sir Paul McCartney and Kate Bush signed a joint letter to Sir Keir Starmer urging the Prime Minister to introduce safeguards against work being plundered for free.
