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NLJ this week: AI mining & the threat to creative industries

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Web scraping and the illegal appropriation of copyrighted works is a difficult nut to crack. In this week’s NLJ, Paul Schwartfeger, barrister, 36 Stone, looks at the applicable law, including caselaw on the topic and the ongoing Getty case

A government consultation is currently underway, proposing artificial intelligence (AI) companies be allowed to mine publicly available content for commercial training purposes, unless rights holders expressly opt out.

As Schwartfeger writes, however, the opt out proposal ‘risks creating a system where a reproduction is lawful when executed by a machine but unlawful when done by a human’.

Moreover, both sides are wary—creatives fear their livelihoods will be threatened, while AI developers say the proposals are technically unworkable. Schwartfeger considers how the gap might be bridged. He recommends ‘targeted legal reform and clear regulatory guidance’. 

MOVERS & SHAKERS

WSP Solicitors—David Ashcroft & Jessica O’Shea

WSP Solicitors—David Ashcroft & Jessica O’Shea

Commercial property and child law teams expand with senior hires

Duxton Hill Chambers—Lucas Bastin KC & Joshua Hiew

Duxton Hill Chambers—Lucas Bastin KC & Joshua Hiew

Set expands London and Singapore offering with senior international disputes hires

Gilson Gray—Gregor Duthie & Stephen Forsyth

Gilson Gray—Gregor Duthie & Stephen Forsyth

Firm strengthens real estate and litigation teams with partner promotions

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Families relying on informal agreements over property ownership could face costly consequences if disputes arise, the High Court has warned
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