London – A new report by economic consultancy Europe Economics provides fresh analysis, based on new survey data, for the importance of copyright and AI regulation to AI investment in the UK. The new research draws on insights from a poll by JL Partners of 500 developers, investors, and others working in the UK AI ecosystem.
The Computer & Communications Industry Association Research Center commissioned the study which develops scenarios for annual AI investment with and without the kind of protection for commercial text and data mining that already exists in the EU, Japan and the United States. The research shows that the decision over whether to introduce a commercial Text and Data Mining (TDM) exception will directly impact the UK’s ability to attract investment and remain a global leader in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other data-intensive sectors.
While the benefits of AI investment will affect a wide range of economic and social outcomes, the study aims to help policymakers understand the scale of the immediate impact of a commercial TDM exception by estimating the initial impact on investment in a single year.
- Reflecting 2025 prices and overall levels of investment in AI, the UK’s share of global AI-related TDM investment would be £3.2bn a year with a commercial TDM exception, versus £1.4bn-£2.4bn without the kind of protection for commercial text and data mining that already exists in the EU, Japan and the United States.
- The difference represents a potential loss of £0.8bn-£1.8bn, equivalent to 20-40% of the UK’s total anticipated AI annual investment.
- The impact extends beyond AI to other TDM investment, with lost investment expected in several data-intensive sectors:
- £150m less in scientific and academic research investment.
- £35m less in investment in legal and financial analysis.
- £25m less in investment in healthcare and pharmaceuticals.
- Overall UK investment in AI and non-AI TDM investment would be £1bn-£2bn lower in 2025 than if a commercial TDM exception were implemented. This would be roughly equivalent to a 2-4% loss in total UK business R&D.
The following can be attributed to CCIA Senior Director and head of CCIA’s London office Matthew Sinclair:
“AI investment is vitally important as the tip of the spear opening up new opportunities to increase growth and innovation in the UK economy and improve public services. If we want British business to remain competitive, we need to build on our strengths in developing and deploying cutting edge AI services, but that depends on workable copyright reforms that give developers the flexibility and protection available in other major economies. This new analysis reinforces how important it is for the Government to realise its objective of ensuring that leading AI models can be developed here in Britain.”
