Revolution now as UK rules copyright must flip for AI

Every media company on the planet is dialled into AI. It’s the most talked about topic in the bar and gets pretty animated when everyone’s loosened up with a scotch or two.

Chris and I were ruminating that we’ve been in about 300 of these conversations where we’ve heard the same question: What do we do about this AI thing?

Back at the start of the revolution, the reaction of every media company was to sue the geeks out of existence for stealing. We were here before - at the dawn of the internet.

Since then, there’s been a thawing. Some are doing deals, others are investing in platforms, many are learning how the tech works and hunting for growth angles.

And normally, I’m all over this because this is the media industry, and they’re my ‘peeps. And I founded an AI company a decade ago, so this is my space.

And yep, I’m following the court cases, advising the media companies, picking some fights and fighting for rights…

But right now, the epicentre is London. That’s now the frontline, meaning the AI absolutists have parked their wanks tanks on Chris’ front lawn.

The British government is getting right after this. So’s Chris in his latest newsletter post.

It turns out that the UK is the third largest AI superpower in the world right now and wants to keep it that way.

To do that, Britain commissioned a giant study and concluded that the 300-year-old law of copyright is no longer fit for the job.

That’s opened a huge debate.

It could see AI developers given free rein to use anything without needing permission.

Or give publishers the ability to opt out of AI using their content.

What’s not an option is the status quo, so one way or another, major change is coming that will re-set the direction of AI, the most transformation tech of a generation.

It felt like something we should get into, and so, welcome to episode three of Scotch and Watch on Substack Live.

…and what’s it all got to do with a 1974 Westfalia VW Kombi again???!