Nearly 10,000 authors have come together to release a symbolic “empty” book titled “Don’t Steal This Book” in protest against generative AI companies utilizing their works without permission. This unprecedented collective action marks one of the significant responses from the creative community against the expanding influence of technology firms in the literary domain. Free copies of the book are being distributed at the London Book Fair, which is set to conclude on Wednesday at London Olympia in Hammersmith.
Featuring only a roster of the participating authors’ names, the book has gained attention just days ahead of the U.K. government’s expected report on the economic implications of proposed changes to copyright laws. Among those participating in the protest are notable figures such as Nobel Prize laureate Kazuo Ishiguro, bestselling authors Richard Osman and Malorie Blackman, and acclaimed novelist Philippa Gregory.
The campaign, spearheaded by composer and copyright advocate Ed Newton-Rex, condemns what he describes as an industry built on “stolen work,” taken without proper authorization or compensation. “This is not a victimless crime,” Newton-Rex stated, emphasizing the detrimental impact of generative AI on the livelihoods of writers whose works are used to train these technologies. He urged the U.K. government to safeguard its creatives against what he termed “the theft of creative work by AI companies.”
The back cover of the book delivers a clear message aimed at policymakers: “The U.K. government must not legalize book theft to benefit AI companies.” The protest is primarily directed at a government proposal that would permit AI firms to utilize copyrighted materials without the author’s consent unless they explicitly opt out. Critics argue this opt-out system undermines the core principles of copyright law, complicates enforcement, and disproportionately burdens individual creators.
The government’s initial proposal met widespread resistance during a public consultation held last February, where only 3% of respondents expressed support for the opt-out concept. Although the government later indicated this option was no longer its “preferred choice,” campaigners remain wary as discussions emerge around a potential “commercial research exception” that would allow AI companies to train models on authors’ works without their explicit consent or payment.
According to reports from the Financial Times, sources familiar with the ongoing deliberations suggest that the government may postpone a final decision, reflecting the mounting pressure from the creative sector. Blackman articulated a straightforward standpoint: “It is not in any way unreasonable to expect AI companies to pay for the use of authors’ books.”
This protest underscores a broader discontent within the global creative industries regarding how AI developers source their training data. In a notable case last year, Anthropic, the company behind the Claude AI chatbot, agreed to a settlement worth $1.5 billion to resolve a class-action lawsuit in which authors alleged their pirated materials were used for training.
Publishers are also taking action through formal channels. At the London Book Fair, the nonprofit Publishers’ Licensing Services is launching a collective licensing program designed to facilitate legal, paid access for AI developers to published works. A report from the Publishers Association, released in conjunction with this initiative, indicates that the AI licensing market is already emerging and expanding, challenging claims by tech companies that copyright exceptions are essential for innovation.
A government spokesperson reiterated its commitment to establishing a copyright framework that values and protects human creativity while fostering innovation. “We will continue to engage closely with the creative sector on this issue, and we will meet our commitment to update Parliament by March 18,” the spokesperson stated.
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