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As part of SXSW's first tever UK edition, Lewis Silkin brought together a packed room to hear five esharp minds – photographer-advocate Isabelle Doran, tech founder Guy Gadney, licensing entrepreneur Benjamin Woollams, Commercial partners Laura Harper and Phil Hughes – wrestle with one deceptively simple question: is AI a hero or a villain in the creative world?
Spoiler: it's neither. Over sixty fast-paced minutes, the panel dug into the real-world impact of generative models, the gaps in current law and the uneasy economics facing everyone from freelancers to broadcasters. We've distilled the conversation into six take-aways that matter to anyone who creates, commissions or monetises content.
1. Generative AI is already taking work – fast
"Generative AI is competing with creators in their place of work," warned Isabelle Doran, citing her Association of Photographers' latest survey. In September 2024, 30% of respondents had lost a commission to AI; five months later that figure ehit 58%. The fallout runs wider than photographers. When a shoot is cancelled, stylists, assistants and post-production teams stand idle too – a ripple effect the panel believes that policy-makers ignore at their peril.
2. Yet the tech also unlocks new forms of storytelling
Guy Gadney was quick to balance the gloom: "It's a proper tsunami in the sense of the breadth and volume that's changing," he said, "but it also lets us ask what stories we can tell now that we couldn't before." His company, Charismatic AI, is building tools that let writers craft interactive narratives at a speed and scale unheard of two years ago. The opportunity, he argued, lies in marrying that capability with fair economic models rather than trying to "block the tide".
3. The law isn't a free-for-all – but it is fragmenting
Laura Harper cut through the noise: "The status quo at the moment is uncertain and it depends on what country you're operating in." In the UK, copyright can subsist in computer-generated works; in the US, it can't. EU rules require commercial text-and-data miners to respect opt-outs; UK law doesn't – yet. Add pergent notions of "fair use" and you get a regulatory patchwork that leaves creators guessing and investors hesitating.
4. Transparency is the missing link
Phil Hughes nailed the practical blocker: "We can't build sensible licensing schemes until we know what data went into each model." Without a statutory duty to disclose training sets, claims for compensation – or even informed consent – stall. Isabelle Doran backed him up, pointing to Baroness Kidron's amendment that would force openness via the UK's Data Act. The Lords have now sent that proposal back to the Commons five times; every extra week, more unlicensed works are scraped.
5. Collective licensing could spread the load
Inpidual artists can't negotiate with OpenAI on equal terms, but Benjamin Woollams sees hope in a pooled approach. "Any sort of compensation is probably where we should start," he said, arguing for collective rights management to mirror how music collecting societies handle radio play. At True Rights he's developing pricing tools to help influencers understand usage clauses before they sign them – a practical step towards standardisation in a market famous for anything but.
6. Personality rights may be the next frontier
Copyright guards expression; it doesn't stop a model cloning your voice, gait or mannerisms. "We need to strengthen personality rights," Isabelle Doran urged, echoing calls from SAG-AFTRA and beyond. Think passing off on steroids: a legal shield for the look, sound and biometric data that make a performer unique. Laura Harper agreed – but reminded us that recognition is only half the battle. Enforcement mechanisms, cross-border by default, must follow fast.
Where does that leave us?
AI is not marching creators to the cliff edge, but it is forcing a reckoning. The panel's consensus was clear:
- We can't uninvent generative tools – nor should we.
- Creators deserve both transparency and a cut of the value chain.
- Government must move quickly, or the UK risks watching leverage, investment and talent drift overseas
As Phil Hughes put it in closing:
"We all know artificial intelligence has unlocked extraordinary possibilities across the creative industries. The question is whether we're bold enough and organised enough to make sure those possibilities pay off for the people whose imagination feeds the machine."
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