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‘AI firms should pay UK's publishers for content’: British PM Keir Starmer
“The UK govt recognises the basic principle that publishers should seek payment for their work, including when thinking about the role of AI.”
Backing news publishers, British prime minister Keir Starmer has expressed his Labour government's support for the ‘basic principle’ that publishers deserve compensation for the use of their content for artificial intelligence (AI).
Starmer mentioned this in his article for the News Media Association (NMA); the article was to mark the beginning of the annual ‘Journalism Matters’ week of the trade body that describes itself as the ‘voice of news media organisations in the United Kingdom.'
“Both artificial intelligence and the creative industries – which includes news and media – are central to this government's driving mission on economic growth. To strike balance in our industrial policy, we are working closely with both sectors. We recognise the basic principle that publishers should have control over and seek payment for their work, including when thinking about the role of AI,” the letter read.
“It is also relevant to our ongoing work to roll out the Digital Markets and Consumers Act. This landmark legislation will help rebalance the relationship between platforms and publishers, who rely on them,” it added.
Further, the Labour Party leader, who earlier this month, endorsed AI as a tool 'Britain needs to run towards,’ expressed caution over the rising power of digital technology.
“…while thankfully there is no direct threat to press freedoms in our country, we must remain vigilant that the growing power of digital technology does not begin to chip away at them. Particularly as artificial intelligence begins to transform our economy and way of life,” Starmer wrote.
Meanwhile, NMA chief executive Owen Meredith said this year's Journalism Matters will honour UK's journalists for their ‘extraordinary work,’ ranging from 'shining a light on corruption, holding power to account and reporting from the halls of Westminster to warzones in Israel, Gaza and Ukraine, all in the public interest.’
