Cambridge University Press & Assessment joined the new Alliance for Responsible Innovation in the Arts & Media (ARIAM) on 16 June 2026 as a founding member, uniting with major studios, publishers and broadcasters to demand AI safeguards that protect creative work. The coalition, which includes The Walt Disney Company, BBC, ITV, The New York Times, Condé Nast and others, represents a coordinated push by content owners to embed accountability and transparency into AI development before harms become entrenched.
A coalition of content heavyweights
Headquartered in Los Angeles and operating internationally, ARIAM is led by Victoria Furniss, former Netflix and Warner Bros executive and current chief executive of The Birdella Group. Other founding signatories include The Financial Times, Reach plc, Adobe and Wiley. Furniss said the group's purpose is not to block AI progress but to strengthen the foundation underneath it.
"ARIAM's goal is not to slow AI down, but to make sure the foundation is strong enough to support what comes next," she said. "ARIAM is a first-of-its-kind cross-content sector coalition seeking to ensure that AI amplifies human creativity, respects the rule of law, and safeguards consumers. AI developers and content creators have a genuine opportunity to ensure that creativity and innovation both flourish."
Accountability from the start
The coalition argues that the surge in generative AI capabilities creates urgent challenges for creative industries, with knock-on effects for economies, culture and society. ARIAM wants governance frameworks that embed accountability, transparency and safety at the design stage, rather than waiting for regulators to react after damage occurs.
Catie Sheret, general counsel at Cambridge University Press & Assessment, warned that allowing large technology companies to exploit intellectual property unchecked would harm everyone. "If we allow big tech to ride roughshod over IP rights, the arts, sciences and global economy will suffer. Without high-quality content, AI development will stall," she said. "We can win this fight. Coalitions have power - we saw this when the UK government stopped short of giving tech companies free access to creative content." Sheret added that bringing together stakeholders from film, television, journalism and publishing puts content creators in a stronger position to defend their rights.
The announcement comes as publishers and other rights holders press for stronger legal protections for copyrighted material used to train AI systems. Debates over licensing, transparency and IP rights continue to intensify across multiple countries.
Why this matters for creatives
For working creatives, the formation of ARIAM signals that the rules around AI and intellectual property are about to get much sharper. Understanding how those rules affect your own work is becoming a core professional requirement. Staying current with reliable information-such as the AI for Creatives resource hub-helps professionals track legal shifts and adjust their practices before decisions are made for them. As cross-industry pressure builds, the ability to navigate AI's impact on ownership and creative control will directly influence career resilience.
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