The Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology saidin a statement to the House that the Government “no longer prefers” proposals that would have allowed AI developers to train on copyright works, unless rightsholders explicitly opt-out of this regime.

The news is an important recognition of the balance needed in this debate and the value of enabling the creative and AI sectors to grow in tandem.

So what caused the Government rethink?

A decisive factor was the sheer force of input submitted through the consultationprocess. An extraordinary 11,500 responses from creators, rights holders, developers and academics underscored the scale of concern across the creative economy, with just 3% supporting the Government’s proposal. To achieve these results and to make input politically resonant, we saw first-hand the excellent work of IP and creative sector organisations to establish coalitions, align messages and sustain a strong, united front throughout a long and complex policy process.

There are other good campaign lessons to be learned. Spokespeople were highly effective at making the technical simple and the abstract concrete. Linking scraping to other types of theft gave the issue a moral dimension that cut through with both the public and Parliament. The campaign brought the emotive nature of the issue to the fore, grounding the issue in people’s livelihoods, the distinctiveness of creative work, and a societal identity tied to British creativity. Moreover, it built trust in the creative industries’ undeniable economic and cultural value, using compelling data and recognisable individuals – such as Sir Paul McCartney and Sir Elton John – to articulate the stakes.

For IP-rich sectors, yesterday’s statement is not the end of the conversation, particularly as big questions remain around how UK content is used by global AI firms. The Government’s invitation for further evidence on data transparency, licensing and image rights offers the next round of opportunities for these industries to help shape the next phase of policy on behalf of their members.