Film director Beavan Kidron, who is campaigning against the government's plan to overhaul AI companies' copyright rules, is the latest famous person complaining about the role Prime Minister AI Tsar Matt Clifford plays. It has become.
Award-winning film director Lady Kidron, including Bridget Jones, said he was on the edge of reason, but the minister said he was the one who stood to benefit from taking another step on Tuesday. He said he was just listening to the story.
Clifford, a technology investor who advises Keir Starmer on AI strategies, continues to own stakes in dozens of AI companies. Attract criticism From anti-corruption campaigners.
The minister will close on Tuesday consultations on whether AI companies should be able to easily train algorithms for creative content such as films, songs, books and more.
Kidron said Clifford's appointment is part of a pattern of behavior in which the government pays more attention to the tech industry than those it is supposed to be affected by.
She said: “It's for Peter Kyle [the technology secretary] And Prime Minister Rachel Reeves to explain why he only receives advice from people in the tech sector such as Matt Clifford. ”
She added: “If you listen only to those who stand to benefit from the policy, it's obviously a great idea. This is a shameful policy based on lobbyist figures and does not take into account national interests. You'll hear it.”
Kidron's comments add to concern among campaigners over the proposed changes that they are being watched by the sidelines in favor of corporate interests. Clifford began working as a Starme AI advisor last year, and advised his predecessor, Rishi Sunak.
As a technology stock investor, he holds stakes in dozens of companies in the AI sector, including many UK startups. He is also the chairman of Entrepreneur First, the investment company he founded, which is held by more than 100 of its own.
However, the government announced on Monday that Clifford had sold all stakes in AI, a strategic company that has worked closely with the government on AI safety, the NHS and education.
Downing Street defended Clifford and said he had stuck to government disclosure rules after taking on his role.
A spokesman for the prime minister said, “He is following the process. There is a process in which you declare all your interests and you will experience the mitigation necessary to manage your interests.”
Sources told the Guardian that Clifford had agreed not to buy or sell the companies he owns while working for the government, or that he would initially be involved in the entrepreneur's decision to make a new investment.
In the coming weeks, the Minister will need to decide how easy it is for AI companies to access creative content and build models. The government says it wants to make such content available by default with the option of opting out of such arrangements. But industry figures, including John, claim that instead, should be an opt-in system.
