A public consultation on artificial intelligence and copyright launched by the UK government in early 2025 received roughly 10,000 responses, but only 3% supported the government's preferred Option 3. Nearly 88% of respondents favored a stricter licensing approach that would require explicit permission before AI developers could use copyrighted works. Creators across writing, music, visual arts, and gaming rallied against the opt‑out mechanism, arguing it places the burden on rights‑holders. The backlash highlights a deep divide between policymakers seeking to spur AI innovation and creators demanding stronger protections. Read more →