Lucy Frazer to lead discussion with bodies including BBC and ITN
The BBC, ITN, Sky News are among stakeholders taking part in a series of roundtables about the risks and opportunities of AI led by culture secretary Lucy Frazer.
The discussions taking place today (12 October) will consider the opportunities presented by AI to newsrooms across the UK. This will include looking at how the technology can benefit local and regional news outlets and help publishers become more financially sustainable, such as by streamlining administrative tasks to free journalists up to concentrate on their reporting.
The roundtables will also address concerns about AI models, such as Chat GPT, being developed and trained by using copyrighted material from news organisations, as well as increased competition from AI firms and others who may have lower ethical and editorial standards and the spread of AI-generated misinformation.
Other news bodies to be represented during the sessions include The Financial Times, News UK, The Guardian, alongside stakeholders such as the NUJ and London School of Economics. Other items on the agenda will cover the Intellectual Property Office’s work on developing a new code of practice to ensure the appropriate protections for copyright material, as well as the digital markets, competition and consumers bill which is currently going through parliament and which seeks to rebalance the relationship between the major tech platforms and news organisations.
Frazer said that the accelerated development of the technology poses “huge questions” for the future of the UK’s news industry and the roundtables are intended to ensure that the government is supporting journalists and writers who are grappling with AI’s impact.
“The UK is a world leading democratic AI power and globally renowned for our rigorous and fearless press. We want to make sure we are also leading the world in how we respond to this developing technology so the things that are precious to us - our creative industries, our media - are protected, whilst harnessing the benefits that this innovation brings,” she said.
“One of my focuses is how to enhance press freedom. I want to listen closely to the views of the media industry to make sure journalists are protected from the risks of AI while benefiting from the opportunities it offers.”
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