BFI outlines nine recommendations for UK screen sector in era of AI

Screen Sector AI – Recommendations

1. Set the UK as the world’s leading IP licensing market

“There is an urgent need to address copyright concerns surrounding generator AI. Current training paradigms – AI models are developed using copyrighted materials without permission – pose a direct threat to the economic foundation of the UK screen sector. Generic training licenses to promote market-based solutions.

“The UK is well suited to lead in this field thanks to its ‘Gold Standard’ copyright system, a vibrant creative technological ecosystem, and a coalition of creative organizations defending fair licensing practices. Developers, UK can protect creative value, encourage innovation, and establish themselves as a hub for ethical and commercially viable AI-supported content production. ”

2. Embed data-driven guidelines to minimize the impact of AI on carbon

“Generated AI models, especially large-scale models, require important computational resources and lead to carbon emissions associated with high energy consumption. However, the environmental footprint of AI is often obscure to end users in the creative industry. Transparency is an important first step in addressing the environmental impact of AI.

“These practices illustrate the need for sustainability-focused AI guidelines, combined with the call for regulatory frameworks similar to appliance energy labels. The pioneering screen sector of generating AI is ideally positioned to boost demand for carbon minimization, and the UK screen sector should give an example.”

3. Responsible AI: Supports cross-discipline collaboration to provide market-first ethical AI products

“Generative AI tools should be in line with both industry needs and public values. Many models, tools and platforms are developed without sufficient input from the screen sector (or in fact, screen audiences), leading to functionality and output that are not suitable for production workflows and the use of risk models of cultural homogenization and ethical supervision. It argues that a “comprehensive” approach to AI development can only be reached if creative experts participate in its development.

“The feasibility of interdisciplinary collaboration is demonstrated by Genario, a scripting tool created in France by screenwriters and AI engineers. Embedding a collaborative and comprehensive design process allows the relevance of AI tools to be embedded in creative tasks, as demonstrated by Microsoft’s Muse experiments. And the reputation for humanities research and the fusion of technology and culture to provide responsible ethical AI.”

4. Enable UK creative industry strategy through world-class intelligence

“There are over 13,000 creative technology companies in the UK and there is a strong foundation for both AI research and creative production. However, the UK screen sector, organizations, teams and individuals (particularly small businesses (small businesses) and freelancers) lack access to structured intelligence on AI trends, risks and opportunities. Confusion.

BFI proposed creating an “AI Observatory” and a “Technology Demonator Hub” to address this urgent challenge. The proposal has been approved by the House Committee on Culture, Media and Sports as a way to centralize insights from academia, industry and government and provide practical experiences of emerging tools and capabilities.

5. Develop sectors to build skills that complement AI

“AI automation may eventually lead to a lower demand for certain digital content creation skills. It could also create new opportunities for roles requiring human surveillance, creative direction and technical flow ency. Our research identifies a significant shortage of AI training clauses. AI education in the UK screen sector is “informal” rather than “formal”, with many workers accessing resources to complement.

However, the UK is well positioned to lead AI upskills with a strong foundation of AI research institutes, a globally respected creative workforce, and a fusion of technology and storytelling expertise.

6. Public Transparency: Improved general understanding of AI use in screen content

“Transparency promotes audience trust in the age of generated AI. Research shows that when AI is used in media production, 86% of UK respondents support clear disclosure, and this demand for transparency calls the standard on the origin and reliability of content to counter the rise in ‘Lelop’s erroneous events that AI has been generated.

National agencies such as the BBC have already experimented with fine-tuning AI models to reflect editorial standards, and BFI has deployed AI in archive work with a focus on ethical and transparent practices. These initiatives demonstrate the ability to set standards for audiences and educate audiences in developing their new roles of generative AI.

7. Sector Adaptation: Increase the UK’s powerful digital content production sector, adaptation and growth

“The UK boasts a unique convergence of creative excellence and innovation, and has a proven track record of integrating emerging technologies into film, television and video games. London is the world’s largest hub for VFX experts (after Mumbai); visual dubbing (perfect) to reactive narratives and dialogues (dead meat).

“However, the survey identifies the lack of opportunities for AI training and funding, and Congressional committees point to the lack of fragmented infrastructure and industry-wide standards that could hinder the continued growth and development of creative innovations supported by AI.

8. Investment: Unlock investments to drive the UK’s high potential creative technology sector

“There is an attractive opportunity for the UK creative technology sector and the need for target financial support. The UK is home to global creative technology leaders such as frame stores and disguises, and AI startups such as synthesis and stability.

“The Coronation Challenge report on CreateCh points to the “significant” funding gap in investments (Series B+ Stage) that “often creates risks for IP and talent transitions that are met by international investors.” The report discovers that physical infrastructure is needed and states: Commenting on the Federal Lord Communication and Digital Committee’s report in February 2025, he reported on the Scale-Up Challenge, research committee chair Barones Stowell called for action to “unravel the complex spaghetti in support schemes available for scale-up,” and is “set to simplify the support available and support the most innovative scale-ups to grow.”

9.

“Generative AI is lowering the traditional barrier to entry into the UK’s screen sector, allowing individuals and small teams to realize their ambitious creative vision without the need for large budgets or studio support. UK-based director Tom Patong explains that AI “sustained so many creators in their side jobs.” Lack of access to funding and industry makes them at a disadvantage by competing with better funded organizations. ”

“The advent of AI first studios such as Wonder, which secured £2.2 million in pre-seed funding, further demonstrates the viability of independent AI-supported content creation. By developing ethical AI products that invest in accessible tools, training and fundraising and provide the market, the UK can promote a more comprehensive, creative economy.”