Ministers to promise impact assessment of AI on creatives

Ministers have drawn up concessions on copyright reforms in a bid to appease artists and creators before a crucial vote in parliament next week, the Guardian has learnt.

- Eleni Courea Dan Milmo

The government will promise to carry out an economic impact assessment of its proposed reforms and to publish reports on issues including transparency, licensing and access to data for AI developers.

The concessions are designed to mollify concerns in parliament and in creative industries about the government's proposed shake-up of copyright rules.

Artists including Paul McCartney and Tom Stoppard have thrown their weight behind a campaign against the changes. Elton John said the reforms rode "roughshod over the traditional copyright laws that protect artists' livelihoods".

Ministers want to allow AI companies to use copyrighted works to train their models without permission, unless the copyright holder opts out of the process. Creatives say that this favours AI companies and want them to follow current copyright laws.

The government's commitments will be made in amendments to the data bill, which is due to return to the Commons on Wednesday.