A new campaign has been launched to try and prevent Artificial Intelligence (AI) from stealing content for free.

The “Make it Fair” scheme has been started by creative industries’ bosses who fear government plans to weaken copyright laws will cause problems.

A consultation on the issue ends today and people are being urged to support a clampdown on the use of AI and other tools providing an “existential threat” to the those in the affected industries.

A spokesman for the campaign, which is backed by KentOnline, said the impact on the creative sector – which collectively generates more than £120 billion a year to the UK economy – will be “devastating if this continues unchecked” or the government “legitimises content theft”.

The government is trying to decide whether to let tech companies use content without permission unless the creators specifically say “no”.

Creators argue this puts the burden on them to police their work – which would be costly and time-consuming – and that tech companies should pay for using their content and work.

Today (Feb 25) regional and national news brands will be running the same cover wrap across their homepages to warn people of the problem.

It says: “MAKE IT FAIR: The government wants to change the UK’s laws to favour big tech platforms so they can use British creative content to power their AI models without our permission or payment. Let’s protect the creative industries – it’s only fair.”

Weekly titles will run the campaign throughout the next week, with the aim of appealing to the public to write to their MPs and back the creative industries.

Launching the campaign, chief executive of the News Media Association, Owen Meredith, said: “We already have gold-standard copyright laws in the UK. They have underpinned growth and job creation in the creative economy across the UK - supporting some of the world’s greatest creators - artists, authors, journalists, scriptwriters, singers and songwriters to name but a few.

“And for a healthy democratic society, copyright is fundamental to publishers’ ability to invest in trusted quality journalism. The only thing which needs affirming is that these laws also apply to AI, and transparency requirements should be introduced to allow creators to understand when their content is being used. Instead, the government proposes to weaken the law and essentially make it legal to steal content.

“There will be no AI innovation without the high-quality content that is the essential fuel for AI models. We’re appealing to the great British public to get behind our ‘Make it Fair’ campaign and call on the government to guarantee creatives are able to secure proper financial reward from AI firms to ensure a sustainable future for both AI and the creative industries.”

Musicians are also joining the fight against AI, with 1,000 releasing a joint album.

Campaigner Ed Newton Rex said: “Musicians released a joint album today, recordings of empty studios, calling on the government to change course or risk empty studios becoming the norm.

“The government’s proposals would hand the life’s work of the UK’s talented creators - its musicians, its writers, its artists - to AI companies, for free. The government must change course and make it fair.”