# British celebrities beat AI firms lobbying to use their work for free, with a warning for Australia

https://mins.news/en/item/76102

- The Guardian, 2026-09-27 15:00 UTC
- Culture
- Original: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/sep/28/uk-celebrity-warning-for-australia-ai-copyright

> British artists and celebrities helped force the government to backtrack on plans that would have allowed AI companies to use copyrighted work without permission. Campaign organiser Beeban Kidron says Australia should learn from the UK fight and avoid sacrificing its creative community, while Ed Newton-Rex used a silent album and an empty book to highlight the stakes.