A coalition of children's authors and illustrators launched the "We Are Better Than This" campaign on Thursday, accusing generative AI companies of stealing creative work and calling on the UK government to stop protecting big tech. The group, which includes Chris Haughton, Momoko Abe, Ged Adamson, Simona Ciraolo and Benji Davies, says the future of creativity is at stake and has launched a £20,000 crowdfunding drive to put human artistry ahead of AI.
"As illustrators and artists our work is being stolen and used against us," the founders said in a joint statement. "The tech companies aren't just coming for our livelihoods, they are changing the future of creativity. It's not innovation, it's theft! The Government are protecting Big Tech instead of the people. That's why we must take action. When we come together we can safeguard our creativity and shape a better future."
The campaign is fronted by a short film voiced by actor Miriam Margolyes, with music and sound by Matt Wand. It was written, designed and directed by Haughton and is backed by the Association of Illustrators, Society of Authors and the Good Ship Illustration.
The video promotes a crowdfunding appeal that has already raised just under £1,000 towards its £20,000 target. The creators said they want to "spark a movement rather than simply make a statement."
Its launch comes as generative art tools face mounting criticism for training on copyrighted images without consent.
Government's copyright position remains unclear
In March, the UK government published a policy paper on copyright and artificial intelligence, stepping back from a proposed copyright exception that would have made it easier for AI companies to train models on creative work. However, as The Bookseller reported, both the Publishers Association and the Society of Authors warned that "not all potentially damaging avenues have been closed down."
A creative uprising, not a technology boycott
The campaign is urging the British public to watch and share the film, sign up for updates and back the project through its crowdfunder. Benji Davies, author of Grandad's Island, told The Bookseller: "We make books that children carry with them for life. The idea that our work, and the work of every artist, could be scraped to train machines, without permission or payment, is something none of us can stand by."
Davies stressed that the protest is not anti-technology. "This isn't about being anti-technology, it's about saying that people and creativity come first. We are better than this."
Why this matters for creatives
For illustrators, authors and other creative professionals, the campaign is a direct challenge to business models that rely on scraping creative output. It highlights the need for clear copyright protections and collective action. As governments stall, grassroots movements like this one are forcing the issue into the open. For those looking to understand how AI is reshaping creative fields, resources on AI for Creatives offer a starting point for navigating these shifts without losing sight of authorship and fair pay.
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