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NLJ this week: AI art, copyright law & the creative clash

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Writing in NLJ this week, Ben Travers of Foot Anstey examines the unresolved legal tensions at the heart of AI-generated content, following the high-profile Getty v Stability AI case. Although the primary copyright claim was dropped, Travers argues the core issues remain: can AI be trained on copyrighted material without permission, and who owns the output?

He notes that while IP law has adapted to past tech shifts—from VCRs to streaming—it now faces a new challenge: users increasingly see AI as a creative partner, not just a tool. This raises questions about authorship, infringement, and whether existing frameworks—designed for human creators—can cope.

Travers warns that users may unwittingly cede rights, echoing early social media missteps. As governments seek to balance innovation with protection, Travers calls for legal clarity on how copyright applies to AI training, output, and liability—before the creative landscape is reshaped beyond recognition.

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Birketts—trainee cohort

Birketts—trainee cohort

Firm welcomes new cohort of 29 trainee solicitors for 2025

Keoghs—four appointments

Keoghs—four appointments

Four partner hires expand legal expertise in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Brabners—Ben Lamb

Brabners—Ben Lamb

Real estate team in Yorkshire welcomes new partner

NEWS
Robert Taylor of 360 Law Services warns in this week's NLJ that adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) risks entrenching disadvantage for SME law firms, unless tools are tailored to their needs
From oligarchs to cosmetic clinics, strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) target journalists, activists and ordinary citizens with intimidating legal tactics. Writing in NLJ this week, Sadie Whittam of Lancaster University explores the weaponisation of litigation to silence critics
Delays and dysfunction continue to mount in the county court, as revealed in a scathing Justice Committee report and under discussion this week by NLJ columnist Professor Dominic Regan of City Law School. Bulk claims—especially from private parking firms—are overwhelming the system, with 8,000 cases filed weekly
Writing in NLJ this week, Thomas Rothwell and Kavish Shah of Falcon Chambers unpack the surprise inclusion of a ban on upwards-only rent reviews in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill
Charles Pigott of Mills & Reeve charts the turbulent progress of the Employment Rights Bill through the House of Lords, in this week's NLJ
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