Data Bill Opposed By Sir Elton John And Dua Lipa Finally Passes

A measure which sparked an bonzer stand-off betwixt immoderate of nan UK's astir high-profile artists - and their backers successful nan House of Lords - has yet been passed.

Peers wanted an amendment to nan drably-titled Data (Use and Access) Bill which would person forced tech companies to state their usage of copyright worldly erstwhile training AI tools.

Without it, they argued, tech firms would beryllium fixed free rein to thief themselves to UK contented without paying for it, and past train their AI products to mimic it, putting quality artists retired of work.

That would beryllium "committing theft, thievery connected a precocious scale", Sir Elton John told nan BBC.

He was 1 of a number of family names from nan UK imaginative industries, including Sir Paul McCartney and Dua Lipa to reason nan government.

The authorities refused nan amendment. It says it is already carrying retired a abstracted consultation astir copyright and it wants to hold for nan result of that.

In summation location are plans for a abstracted AI bill. Critics of nan peers' connection opportunity it would stifle nan AI manufacture and consequence successful nan UK getting near down successful this lucrative and booming sector.

So, this near nan measure successful limbo, pingponging betwixt nan Houses of Commons and Lords for a month.

But it has now yet been passed, without nan amendment, and will go rule erstwhile royal assent is given.

"We tin only do truthful overmuch here. I judge we've done it. It's up to nan authorities and nan different spot (the Commons) now to listen," said composer and broadcaster Lord Berkeley.

The authorities has welcomed nan wide-ranging measure passing.

"This Bill is astir utilizing information to turn nan system and amended people's lives, from wellness to infrastructure and we tin now get connected pinch nan occupation of doing that", a Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) spokesperson said.

Caught successful nan crossfire of this statement were different useful proposals contained wrong nan bill, including:

• New rules connected nan authorities of bereaved parents to entree their children's information if they die
• Changes to let NHS trusts to stock diligent information much easily
• A 3D underground representation of nan UK's pipes and cables, aimed astatine improving nan ratio of roadworks by minimising nan anticipation of them being accidentally dug up.

"So this is bully news for NHS workers and nan constabulary who will beryllium freed from complete a cardinal hours of clip spent doing admin, bereaved parents who will beryllium supported to get nan answers they deserve, and group who will beryllium kept safer online acknowledgment to caller offences for deepfake abuse," DSIT said.

But moreover though nan Lords person decided they had made their constituent connected AI, nan statement has not gone away.

Those who fought nan conflict person not changed their minds. Baroness Kidron, a movie shaper who led nan complaint for nan amendment, told maine nan passing of nan measure was "a pyrrhic triumph astatine best" for nan government, meaning it would suffer much than it gains.

That cost, she argues, is nan giving distant of UK assets, successful nan shape of imaginative content, to mostly US-based AI developers.

There are galore who stay defiant and they judge powerfully that nan UK's £124bn imaginative manufacture is nether threat if nan authorities doesn't actively prosecute pinch their demands

Owen Meredith, main executive of nan News Media Association which supported nan Lords said nan measure sent a "clear message" to nan authorities "that Parliament, and nan UK's 2.4 cardinal imaginative workers, will conflict tirelessly to guarantee our world-renowned copyright rule is enforced".

"We support being told that AI will alteration everything, which, I'm afraid, intends that we will talk this during debates connected each bill," said Baroness Dido Harding successful nan House of Lords, recorded successful Hansard. "We will prevail successful nan end."