On March 18, 2026, the UK government published its report and impact assessment on the use of copyright works in the development of Artificial Intelligence systems, following the consultation launched in December 2024. The government said it will not move ahead with immediate copyright reform for Artificial Intelligence training, and the data mining exception with opt-out and transparency measures, previously identified as option 3, is no longer its preferred approach. The current framework will remain in place for now, while officials gather more evidence on how copyright law is affecting the development and deployment of Artificial Intelligence across the economy, engage stakeholders on other policy options, and monitor technology, litigation, international policy, and licensing markets.
The government also said a broad copyright exception without opt-out, described as option 2, will not be taken forward at this time because of risks to right holders’ revenue and continued uncertainty internationally. It also does not plan changes to copyright law for Artificial Intelligence systems developed outside the UK at this stage. Given that Getty Images v. Stability AI is still pending appeal and that there may be further clarification or changes to the law in this respect in the US and EU in the coming year, the UK government proposes not to take this forward at this time. Alternative approaches remain under consideration, including exceptions limited to scientific research or public-interest uses, requirements that material be lawfully accessed, and possible statutory licensing models.
Several additional measures are now on the agenda. The UK government will launch a consultation in the summer on digital replicas and whether stronger protections, potentially including a new personality right, are needed. It also plans a review of tools that let creators control their works online, including standards, technical measures, and best practice on input transparency. A taskforce will develop best practice proposals for labeling Artificial Intelligence-generated content, with an interim report expected in autumn 2026. By summer 2026, the UK government will launch an operational pilot of the Creative Content Exchange, intended as a marketplace for selling, buying, licensing, and enabling permitted access to digitized cultural and creative assets.
The report also signals restraint in other areas. The government found insufficient evidence to intervene in the licensing market now and does not plan to introduce regulatory oversight on copyright-related transparency or related measures at this time. It proposes to continue working with enforcement bodies and the judiciary to ensure routes to redress remain effective. At the same time, it proposes that protection for computer-generated works be removed after further monitoring, citing minimal evidence that the provision is actively relied on or has a material effect on creativity and innovation. The latest position follows recommendations issued on March 6, 2026 by the UK House of Lords committee and on March 10, 2026 by the European Parliament, both of which focused on stronger protections, transparency, and remuneration in the use of copyrighted material by generative Artificial Intelligence systems.
