UK Illustrators Draw the Line: AOI Publishes AI Survey Results
The Association of Illustrators share our vital AI survey results, showing the illustration community’s overwhelming opposition to the UK Government’s AI plans.
The UK’s £124.6 billion creative industries sector is at a turning point as the government proposes new AI regulation. In response to the ongoing Copyright and Artificial Intelligence consultation, the Association of Illustrators (AOI) have released survey results from 6,844 illustrators that show strong support for strengthening the UK’s existing copyright protections.
UK illustrators have a significant online presence, with over 32% having more than 500 images visible on the internet. These public facing images are essential for attracting clients and running successful businesses. However, this visibility comes at a cost—their work is now vulnerable to AI companies scraping and using it without permission. A striking 92.65% of illustrators say attempting to opt out of scraping would be practically impossible without damaging their business. The task would be too time-consuming and resource-intensive, especially considering they don’t control ‘downstream copies’ such as images on client websites – directly challenging the government’s proposed Option 3 approach.
92.65% of illustrators say they cannot opt out of AI training datasets without seriously harming their business.
Option 3, the government’s preferred choice, suggests an opt-out system for creators. However, there’s no clear proposal on how this would work—whether artists would need to opt out individual images or entire websites. 87% of illustrators worry that opting out of web crawling may also negatively impact their discoverability online, due to the technical limitations in current opt out mechanisms. This uncertainty adds to creators’ concerns.
An overwhelming 91.62% support Option 1—strengthening copyright protection—while just 3.59% back the government’s Option 3
The numbers show illustrators are united in their position. An overwhelming 91.62% support Option 1—which would strengthen existing copyright law to explicitly protect artists’ work from unauthorised AI training—while just 3.59% back the government’s Option 3.
AI’s financial impact is coming to light, with 32.40% of illustrators already aware that they have lost work to AI alternatives, losing an average of £9,262 per affected artist. This trend threatens both individual artists and the UK’s standing as a creative leader.
32.40% of illustrators report losing work to AI, with average losses of £9,262 per affected UK creator
The survey also shows near-total agreement on key protections: 99.05% want compensation for past unauthorised use of their work in AI training, 98.68% demand transparency about what is included in AI training datasets, and 99.45% support mandatory labelling of AI-generated content.
These findings come as the government must choose between protecting creators’ rights or loosening copyright protections to benefit AI companies. The illustration community’s message couldn’t be clearer: Option 1 is the only way forward that respects creators’ rights and protects their livelihoods.
Your voice matters in this debate. Join fellow illustrators in responding to the consultation before the 25th February. Check out our straightforward guide to submitting your response and making your voice heard in this crucial moment for the UK creative industries.
Back to News Page