A sweeping UK data reform bill that includes landmark provisions on artificial intelligence (AI) transparency and data governance is awaiting Royal Assent—the final legislative step, widely considered a formality—before becoming law.
The Data (Use and Access) Bill, introduced by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, is one of the most expansive legislative efforts in recent memory aimed at modernizing how the UK regulates personal and business data. Spanning everything from digital identity verification and biometric records to smart meter infrastructure and online safety research, the bill reflects a comprehensive rethinking of the UK’s data ecosystem.
Of particular note are its provisions targeting the fast-evolving AI sector. Lawmakers in the House of Lords had pushed for greater transparency around the use of copyrighted content in training large AI models. One proposal, Amendment 49F, sought to compel the government to introduce a draft bill requiring developers of generative AI systems to disclose the use of copyrighted materials in training, fine-tuning, or retrieval-augmented generation processes.
While that amendment was ultimately rejected in the House of Commons, a compromise was reached. The final legislation now obligates the government to publish a progress statement within six months of the law taking effect. The statement must address economic impact, enforcement options for rights holders, and developments in international copyright policy related to AI.
Beyond AI, the bill enables expanded data-sharing to improve public services, provides a legal basis for maintaining registers of births and deaths, supports research into online harms, and updates regulations governing digital trust services such as electronic signatures and seals.
With Royal Assent expected shortly, the bill would make the UK one of the first countries to formally address the legal implications of using copyrighted material in AI development. It comes as litigation and legislative debates around generative AI content continue to unfold in the U.S., EU, and beyond.
Once enacted, the bill is poised to shape the UK’s digital and AI regulatory framework for years to come.
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