United Kingdom: Data (Use and Access) Bill requiring inquiry into use of copyright works in development of AI systems received royal assent

On 19 June 2025, the Data (Use and Access) Act received royal assent, including requiring inquiry into use of copyright works in development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems. The Bill requires the Secretary of State to report to Parliament within six months on progress towards publishing the economic impact assessment and the artificial intelligence (AI) copyright report, unless both are already published. The Bill includes a timeframe for economic impact assessments in 9 months, introducing enforcement provisions for copyright protection in AI development with regulatory involvement. It also includes provisions on extending the scope to include AI systems developed outside the UK, and requiring a six-month progress statement on both the economic assessment and the copyright report.