Britain’s £81billion luxury goods industry has attacked Labour’s plan to overhaul copyright law to let AI developers use material without paying as a ‘damaging proposal’.
Walpole, which represents 250 of the sector’s names including Chanel, Burberry, Alexander McQueen, Dunhill, Mulberry, Wedgwood, Harrods, Rolls-Royce and Cunard, urged Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to ‘rethink’ the move.
The Government has already outraged the creative sector with its proposals to give tech firms an exemption from copyright law. It would allow them to use artists’ work for free to train their AI models unless creators take onerous steps to ‘opt out’ of their use.
Leading names in music, arts, film and literature have already joined a Mail campaign which warns the plan would devastate Britain’s £126billion creative sector.
Now Walpole CEO Helen Brocklebank has labelled the move the ‘wrong approach’.
She told the Times: ‘Intellectual property rights are a fundamental part of the UK’s £81billion high-growth luxury industry. Our sector is projected to grow to £125billion – the Government’s plans threaten this trajectory.
Sir Keir Starmer has been urged to ‘rethink’ a government plan to overhaul copyright law to let AI developers use material without paying as a ‘damaging proposal’
Walpole, which represents 250 of the sector’s names including Chanel , Burberry , Alexander McQueen, Dunhill, Mulberry, Wedgwood, Harrods, Rolls-Royce and Cunard, has spoken out against the plan
‘Global luxury brands invest in the UK for a wide range of reasons including its strong creative industries, stable business environment and supportive legal framework.
‘The proposed government approach risks undermining this framework and the creative industries that rely on it. Instead of pressing ahead with this damaging proposal, we are calling for the Government to rethink its plan, stand up for copyright law and allow tech and creative businesses to continue to build a workable, equitable licensing system that will see both sides benefit.’
Walpole’s intervention ramps up pressure on Technology Secretary Peter Kyle who is in California meeting AI firms, including OpenAI.
A spokesman for the Government said: ‘The status quo is holding back the creative industries, media and AI sector from realising their full potential and that cannot continue.’
