The impact of artificial intelligence, particularly generative AI, on the media and entertainment industry, was the topic of discussion at the Media & Telecoms 2025 & Beyond Conference held in London on Tuesday. Some industry executives also suggested that an alliance of media players could be the best strategy to protect copyright and open opportunities for media companies in the age of AI.
The Tuesday event, hosted by Deloitte and Enders Analysis, includes a panel entitled “AI Era of News and Media.” The panelist featured Panerists Anna Bateson, CEO of Guarding Media Group, DMG Media.
Bateson stressed that it is wrong to assume that an existing copyright and intellectual property protection “compromise” is necessary to ensure innovations that include AI spaces.
Jones argued that media companies can “work together with our own technology” to ensure control and opportunity, rather than deeply burden the tech giants that use media companies’ content. Corp has repeatedly shared that, saying, “We want to work together to protect our brand.”
Last year, Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp signed a deal with Openai, which has been paid much attention to by people in the industry. Guardian Media Group reached a similar deal earlier this year. Redbird also recently announced its Telegraph Media Group agreement, citing AI as an opportunity, at least in the form of “artificial intelligence tools to expand its value proposition to its core subscriber base and potential new subscribers.”
Slade brought comparisons to the International Defence Union at that stage. “Someone described it as a kind of NATO for the news,” he said. “At this point, we are all spending a huge amount of money on last year’s budget.
Meanwhile, “We haven’t signed (AI) deals yet,” Caccappolo shared. “We’re ready, we’re happy to do it.” However, he emphasizes that the term must be correct, and copyright must be valued.
Will he stand up to “NATO for the News”? “I’ve never used that term before, but it could be that crack opens the dam,” he suggested. “What I’m most interested in right now is how to prove that if AI companies work with us, they can help train models faster, more efficient and more accurately. It’s worth something and that should be the catalyst.”
Panelists on Tuesday also agreed that the opt-out rules proposed in the UK’s approach to AI would allow AI companies to use copyrighted works unless the owner actively opts out, not the right approach. Instead, they agreed that they should use an opt-in approach.
The panel has pledged that British Secretary of State Lisa Nandi and Prime Minister Kiel Starmer, Secretary of State for Labour’s government, culture, media and sports, has focused on the government’s favorable approach to AI policies and regulations. “We are determined to find ways to work for the creative industry, creators and the tech industry,” she said.
Later on the day of the meeting, Vanessa Kingori, managing director of Google’s technology, media and telecom, will also discuss AI.
Tuesday’s meeting also featured top executives such as Walt Disney Co., UK public broadcaster BBC, streaming giant Netflix, and Sky Studios owned by Comcast.
