The usually jovial world of British comics has taken a decidedly serious turn. Forget Dennis the Menace causing chaos in Beanotown; a far more insidious threat looms: Artificial Intelligence. Specifically, the kind that cheerfully slurps up copyrighted material without so much as a ‘by your leave’.
Comic Book UK, a newly formed trade association, is the industry’s answer to this existential crisis. Founding members include DC Thomson (the aforementioned Beano behemoth), Avery Hill Publishing, and B7 Media. Their mission? To ensure the UK’s comic intellectual property isn’t fed into the AI grinder without proper compensation or, dare we say, permission.
This move comes hot on the heels of a government consultation that floated the utterly bonkers idea of letting tech giants train their AI models on copyrighted works, scot-free. No licensing, no reimbursement, just a free-for-all data buffet. Creators would have to actively opt out, placing the onus on them to protect their own work – a move universally slammed as being about as fair as a game of Monopoly where one player starts with all the property.
Imagine trying to explain to Minnie the Minx that her mischievous antics are now being used to power a chatbot without her getting a single comic in return. The outrage! Celebrities, from Sir Elton John to Kate Bush, have already voiced their concerns regarding similar proposals for the music industry, decrying it as nothing short of theft. And they’re not wrong.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak claims the government is ‘reviewing’ the responses to the consultation, which is politician-speak for ‘we’re probably still going to do what we want, but thanks for your input’.
Comic Book UK aims to be a ‘constructive’ voice in the AI regulation debate. Mark Fuller, Comic Book UK chief executive, believes that the UK has the potential to become a ‘global comics superpower’. He envisions a future where UK companies expand into new territories and attract inward investment. A lofty goal, perhaps, but someone needs to stand up for intellectual property rights before AI turns us all into unpaid content creators.
Sir Chris Bryant, Creative Industries Minister, seems supportive, acknowledging the historical significance and global reach of British comics. He even managed to shoehorn in references to ‘Punch’ and ‘2000 AD’, proving he’s at least vaguely aware of the subject matter. He envisions Comic Book UK helping to ‘champion and unlock more investment’ in the sector. Let’s hope that translates into actual policy changes and not just empty platitudes.
So, is Comic Book UK a David facing a Goliath of algorithms and server farms? Only time will tell. But one thing’s for sure: the battle for the soul (and copyright) of British comics has begun. And it’s going to be a bumpy ride.
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