UK’s New Collective Licence Will Shape the Future of Copyright and AI

The UK is leading the way in balancing copyright and AI development, and businesses across the country should pay attention.

This summer, the Copyright Licensing Agency (CLA), backed by the Authors’ Licensing and Collecting Society (ALCS) and Publishers’ Licensing Services (PLS), will launch the UK’s first-ever collective licence allowing AI developers to use copyrighted written works to train artificial intelligence models legally.

This significant move is set to reshape the relationship between artificial intelligence and copyright, ensuring that creators are paid fairly while providing AI developers with legal clarity to innovate.

According to The Guardian, it’s the first scheme of its kind in the UK and a global example of how respecting copyright can achieve ethical AI development.

 

Why This Matters: Copyright and AI Innovation

In plain terms, if an artificial intelligence model is trained on a copyrighted book, article, or other written material, this license ensures that the author receives payment.

The need for a straightforward, fair approach to copyright and AI has never been greater. A survey by ALCS found that 81% of writers wanted to be part of a licensing solution if it guaranteed they would be compensated for the use of their work to train AI systems.

Until now, developers often operated in a legal grey area, scraping vast amounts of content without permission. Big tech companies, like Meta, argued that negotiating with millions of rights holders was “practically impossible.”
The result? A growing divide between creators’ rights and AI innovation.

“The collective licence changes offer a practical, legal, and fair solution that respects both copyright and the needs of artificial intelligence,” says Emma Shepherd, Founder, The AI Advantage Academy.

 

How the Collective Licence Works with AI Copyright

This new licence offers a simple but powerful system:

  • Authors and publishers collectively grant permission for the use of their works
  • AI developers can legally access written content to train their models
  • Businesses gain legal certainty when building or using AI technologies

It creates a market-led alternative to government intervention, unlike opt-out schemes that risk leaving creators without protection.

This practical framework strengthens the ethical foundations of artificial intelligence and copyright management, proving that innovation doesn’t have to come at the expense of creativity.

 

What It Means for UK Businesses

If your business develops AI models, uses generative AI tools, or creates written content, this new licence directly impacts you.

It offers:

  • Legal clarity: Reducing the risk of copyright infringement when using AI tools
  • Ethical advantage: Building trust with customers by using AI responsibly
  • Stronger AI outputs: Accessing high-quality, licensed material to improve model training

Emma Shepherd, Founder of The AI Advantage Academy, and certified AI Specialist says, “In an era of increasing scrutiny, businesses that adopt frameworks supporting copyright and AI compliance will stand out for their leadership and credibility.”

 

What’s Next?

The collective licence for copyright artificial intelligence is expected to roll out by summer 2025.
Exact pricing structures and revenue sharing agreements are still being finalised, but industry leaders are already praising this initiative as a positive shift towards sustainable, ethical AI growth.

For businesses, this is the perfect time to familiarise themselves with emerging copyright frameworks and align AI strategies with new industry standards.

By respecting artificial intelligence copyright rules, businesses can confidently innovate, contribute to a fairer AI ecosystem, and set themselves up for long-term success.

 

Building Ethical AI Strategies

Understanding the new rules around copyright and AI is only the beginning.

To truly future-proof your business, organisations need to integrate AI responsibly, ethically, and strategically across their operations.

That’s where The AI Advantage Academy’s AI Integration Framework comes in.

Designed specifically for business leaders, this framework covers the eight critical pillars of responsible AI adoption.

It helps companies avoid common pitfalls, such as accidental copyright infringement or ethical blind spots, and build resilient, future-ready AI strategies.

You can access the AI Integration Framework through:

 

The AI Advantage Academy is a CPD accredited training provider.

 

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