Difficulties facing AI-assisted UK artists in the EU

After Brexit, AI-assisted UK artists face two kinds of barriers when trying to collaborate or interact with EU peers: physical immigration restrictions combined with regulatory differences in AI and copyright laws. These barriers call for more cooperation between UK and EU to bridge the gap that affects the productivity of AI-assisted touring artists.

1. The Legal barriers of sharing the artwork

• The EU AI Act: It dictates strict rules applicable to anyone whose AI outputs affect individuals within the EU, regardless of where the creator is based. If the AI-generated art doesn’t meet the strict EU metadata and transparency labeling laws, the EU partner of the UK artist could face massive fines, a fact that prevents active cooperation. We suggest that the UK artists should be granted a special status to enhance UK-EU cooperation.
• Copyright Incompatibility: If an artwork is co-created by UK and EU artists, there could be a difference about who owns the copyright. For example, the UK protects computer-generated works without a human author, while the EU does not. More cooperation is required to unify copyright regulations.

2. The physical & interaction barriers: If the collaboration involves the real-world activities such as a live AI-driven audiovisual performance or a joint workshop in Europe, then Brexit can cause difficulties.

• The UK’s exit from the Creative Europe Fund has reduced funding for cross-border artistic residencies and collaborative workshops.
• The Schengen visa barrier could limit collaboration between EU and UK artists.