Research reveals 82% of UK professionals could be breaching copyright law by using AI
Copyright Licensing Agency (CLA) has published new research, “How professionals are using generative AI in the workplace and the copyright implications this creates” highlighting a significant gap between copyright awareness and responsible use of generative artificial intelligence (GAI) in the workplace.
The survey of nearly 4,000 UK professionals reveals that, of those who do use GAI tools in the workplace, 82% have used third-party content in prompts for AI tools. While many UK employees acknowledge the potential risks associated with using third-party material in GAI tools, a large proportion include this content in their prompts, often potentially infringing copyright.
While GAI adoption is accelerating, the findings suggest a disconnect between copyright awareness and responsible GAI use. More than half of UK employees now use GAI tools at least weekly, yet only 24% report a strong understanding of the copyright terms and conditions of the GAI tools they use. As a result, there is an increased risk of unintentional copyright infringement when third-party content is incorporated into GAI prompts. Although 77% of respondents acknowledge these risks, over half remain unconcerned about the potential implications of including this content in GAI tools.
“As generative AI becomes an integral part of the workplace, it’s critical that its use is underpinned by lawful and ethical practices,” said Tom Cantle, research and insight manager at CLA. “Our research shows that employees are enthusiastic about GAI’s potential but need clearer guidance on how to use it responsibly.
As organisations embrace GAI to enhance efficiency and productivity, many are still developing policies to support its responsible use. The research indicates only 61% of employees believe their organisation has a formal policy in place to govern GAI use. In addition, we found that as many as 15% of workplace GAI users could be using these tools without their organisations’ explicit permission
In response, CLA has expanded its corporate and public sector licences to include new workplace generative AI permissions. Taking effect from 1 May 2025, these permissions will allow licensed organisations to use published content in prompts for approved enterprise versions of GAI tools. This ensures creators and rightsholders are fairly remunerated while enabling businesses to leverage GAI for tasks such as summarising articles, refining reports, analysing data, and preparing presentations
“The research we have conducted with Fiftyfive5 (Accenture) sheds light on how employees are increasingly incorporating generative AI into their workflows, highlighting the rising use of third-party content in prompts and the inconsistent guidance from employers on responsible usage. said Mat Pfleger, CEO of CLA. “Generative AI, like previous technological advancements, presents significant benefits for our customers but also introduces new risks and challenges regarding the lawful use of copyrighted material by employees.
Collective Licensing offers a cost-effective and efficient solution for organisations whose employees use copyrighted material in the workplace. Our goal has always been to empower our customers to legally copy, use, and share copyrighted content while safeguarding the rights of creators and rightsholders.
Starting in May, our corporate and public sector licences will aid organisations and their employees in leveraging GAI technology responsibly. This will help ensure fair compensation for rightsholders and support the continued flourishing of creative industries.”
These new permissions apply to print and digital publications, including books, journals, and websites from participating publishers, and were developed in collaboration with CLA’s member organisations, representing publishers, authors and visual artists.
The updated workplace generative AI permissions will be available to all CLA corporate and public sector licence holders from 1 May 2025. To explore the full research findings and download the whitepapers, or to learn more about CLA’s new permissions and educational resources, visit www.cla.co.uk or contact cs@cla.co.uk.