Intellectual Property: Artificial Intelligence Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateDepartment: Department for Science, Innovation & Technology
Esther McVey
Main Page: Esther McVey (Conservative - Tatton)Department Debates - View all Esther McVey's debates with the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology
Intellectual Property: Artificial Intelligence
Esther McVey Excerpts(1 day, 14 hours ago)
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Several hon. Members rose—
Esther McVey (in the Chair)
Order. This is a well-attended debate, but I hope to get everybody in. I have spoken to the Front Benchers: the Minister will have 10 minutes, and the Opposition spokespeople have agreed to go down to five minutes, so there will be a limit of three minutes per speech for Back Benchers. I hope that all hon. Members will be suitably aware of their fellow Members who want to speak, and I ask that interventions be interventions and not speeches, or I will stop you.
Uma Kumaran (Stratford and Bow) (Lab)
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms McVey. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Bury North (Mr Frith) on securing this important debate and, in the words of my favourite artist, Stevie Wonder, “Happy birthday to ya”.
In my constituency, I have a brilliant example of how technological advances can expand the performing arts in the best way, with the wonderful “ABBA Voyage” and its famous digital avatars, or ABBAtars, as we call them. I have, however, also been contacted by more than 200 constituents, because we have a thriving creative hub in east London. They have very real concerns about what the development of AI means for their careers—the careers that they have devoted their lives to.
Motion designers, photographers and illustrators have been in touch with me, as has “The voice of the Northern line”. To give an example, a few people who work in illustration have written to me with their concerns, outlining that without suitable safeguards, their careers and businesses are being put at risk, not to mention their creative output, as we have already heard from hon. Members. The creative output of these illustrators is their craft and their life’s work, which they have honed—in some cases, they have spent decades training—but it is all at risk of being cannibalised. There is a tension between big-scale changes from technology and AI, which can enrich our lives, and the impact that those changes can have on individual creators, who are the engine of the culture that we consume. That tension needs to be reconciled.
I am proud that Britain is leading the way in so many technological advances, but we absolutely have to get to the bottom of the concerns that my constituents and others mentioned today have outlined. Could the Minister provide any assurances about how the Government are addressing those concerns and showing that they are listening to the voices of our constituents? Could he also outline how the Government will ensure that artists and creators retain control over their voice, style and licences?
Esther McVey (in the Chair)
To fit in the last couple of speakers, we will go down to two minutes per speech, but I will get everybody in.
Esther McVey (in the Chair)
I thank Members for keeping so keenly to the time limit, which has allowed us to get everybody in.