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Ex-Meta Exec Nick Clegg: Artist Permission Would “Kill” the AI Industry

London, UK

May 28, 2025 1 Lean left I'm focusing on career/side hustles

London, UK: Former Meta executive Nick Clegg warned that requiring prior consent from artists to train AI models would “basically kill the AI industry overnight.” He claims it’s unworkable to obtain permission for vast data sets. Artist groups counter that it’s “mass theft,” fueling calls for policy changes that protect creative rights. UK lawmakers are considering opt-in or compensation mandates, echoing EU discussions.

What this means for you:

•	Within 1–2 weeks, watch for statements from AI developers or new legislation on training-data usage.
•	Over 1–2 months, consider how any changes might affect your creative side hustle—would AI licensing open new income streams or hamper your promotional strategy?
•	In the next 6–12 months, be ready for possible AI training transparency rules that might redefine how content is scraped.
•	If you rely on AI tools for design, see if data restrictions drive up subscription costs.

Key Entities

• Nick Clegg: Ex-Meta exec and UK’s former Deputy Prime Minister.
• Meta: Tech giant previously known as Facebook.
• UK AI policy, content creators: All stand at the core of this debate.

Multi-Perspective Analysis

Left-Leaning View

Strongly sides with creators, labeling data scraping as exploitation.

Centrist View

Recognizes need to balance creativity rights with AI’s growth.

Right-Leaning View

(No major coverage).

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