The government’s efforts to keep pace with the rapid proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI) continued last week when the House of Commons Science, Innovation and Technology Committee (HCSITC) published its interim report on the governance of AI.

The report, which is available here, identifies 12 challenges that the Committee believes must be met through domestic policy and international engagement. They range from the practical implications for individuals’ privacy to the more dramatic issue of whether AI represents an existential threat to humankind.

Coming in at number eight on the list was “IP and copyright”, in respect of which the report notes that:

• Whilst the use of AI has helped create revenue for the entertainment industry, concerns have been raised about the "scraping" of copyrighted content from online sources without permission.
• Ongoing legal cases are likely to set precedents in this area (with Getty Images v Stabilty AI being seemingly the most high profile).
• The UKIPO has begun to develop a voluntary code of practice on copyright and AI, but if agreement is not reached or the code is not adopted then legislation may be required. 

Unsurprisingly the report does not reach any firm conclusions, but it does represent progress, and will form the basis for discussion at the first global summit on AI safety, hosted by the UK, which takes place at Bletchley Park in November.

The government's response to the interim report is due by 31 October 2023, so it will be interesting to see whether the momentum continues over the next couple of months.