UK copyright campaigners warn Australia against AI text mining plan

UK campaigners who successfully opposed a proposed AI text and data mining exception have formally warned Australian policymakers against adopting similar legislation. The coalition argues that permitting unlicensed scraping for AI training undermines creator livelihoods and devalues intellectual property rights. This intervention follows the UK government’s February 2025 decision to abandon its own TDM proposal after intense backlash from creative industries. Australian officials are currently reviewing submissions on whether to introduce a comparable fair use or specific exception for AI development. Critics contend that such measures would effectively legalize mass copyright infringement under the guise of innovation. Conversely, technology advocates maintain that broad exceptions are necessary to prevent domestic AI sectors from falling behind international competitors. The warning highlights growing transnational coordination among rights holders seeking to harmonize restrictive AI training standards across common law jurisdictions.