If British Library reading rooms become ‘co-working spaces’, what, exactly, is a national library for?; The Guardian, October 29, 2026

 Andy Beckett , The Guardian; If British Library reading rooms become ‘co-working spaces’, what, exactly, is a national library for?

"In a crowded country that is short of public money, any expansive public building that seems underused in any way is vulnerable. Professional critics of state spending can claim taxpayers’ money is being wasted. Managers of the building who are under financial pressure can argue it needs to be used more intensely, perhaps that some spaces should be commercialised and offered for rent. The original open, uncommodified, egalitarian quality of the building can be steadily sliced away.

The British Library in London is in danger of that fate. A huge brick battleship moored on the Euston Road since 1997, it claims to be the largest public building constructed in the UK in the 20th century. Its both forbidding and exhilarating exterior conceals 11 unusually elegant and comfortable reading rooms and one of the world’s most extensive print and digital collections, free to use for anyone who is over 18. Last week, these readers received an email with the subject line, “Transforming your Library”. Next summer, the library would “begin work on repurposing our [three] Science and Social Sciences Reading Rooms to become a flexible workspace … available for hire by workers and businesses for co-working, collaboration and meetings”. The reason given for removing more than a quarter of the library’s much-loved research space was “ensuring we generate the necessary revenue to keep our core services free”.

The library has a current annual budget of about £170m – a third the size of my local London hospital’s – 84% of which comes from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. The rest is from donations, investments and “charitable and other trading activities”, such as the private parties and ticketed exhibitions already frequently held in the sweeping interior connecting its reading rooms. Even with these multiple income streams, the library’s financial reserves are perilously low – according to its latest accounts – thanks to inflation and austerity, which mean its state funding has in real terms declined to two-thirds of what it was in 2010, and also a devastating cyber-attack in 2023, from which the library has still not fully recovered.

Despite this troubled context, and in some ways because of it, the library’s drastic reading room reduction plan has provoked “outrage” from staff, say the Prospect and Public and Commercial Services (PCS) unions that represent them. Reading room staff understandably fear for their jobs, but also for the building’s fundamental purpose, which was set out by law in 1972 – an indication of how hard the complex was to conceive and build – as “the establishment for the United Kingdom of a national library”. Staff are now “the most furious I’ve ever seen them about anything”, says a union source. A strike over the reading room plan, following one last year over low pay, could begin as soon as December.

Behind this potentially explosive dispute – not least because many well-connected authors, academics and journalists use the library – lurks a big question. In a digital age of decentralised study and dispersed online resources, what is a national library for?"

International Writers Groups Back AI Standards Charter; Publishers Weekly, October 15, 2026

 Jim Milliot, Publishers Weekly; International Writers Groups Back AI Standards Charter

"The U.K.’s Society of Authors (SoA) is leading an effort of international writers’ organizations and other creative industry bodies to launch a global charter setting out commitments to the responsible and ethical use of generative AI services.

The SoA has teamed with the Creators’ Rights Alliance in the U.K., the Authors Guild in the U.S., the Australian Society of Authors, the Writers’ Union of Canada and the New Zealand Society of Authors to create a Charter of Ethical AI Use in the Creative Industries.

The charter specifically addresses generative AI and how it should be deployed to help protect and support human creators. Its creation, the SoA said, comes as governments across the globe continue to drag their feet in in [sic] committing to AI regulation and oversight."

In which Winnie-the-Pooh turns 100 and Britain wants its bear back; The Washington Post, October 14, 2026

 Steve Hendrix , The Washington Post; In which Winnie-the-Pooh turns 100 and Britain wants its bear back

"Once upon a time, a very long time ago now, a real stuffed bear called Winnie-the-Pooh lived near a small forest in England with a real little boy called Christopher Robin Milne. 

Then Winnie-the-Pooh took a Very Long Trip, because that’s what bears do when Publishers ask, and the Trip turned into a Stay and now he lives in a glass case at the New York Public Library, which very much wants to keep him. 

But today is the day his book, also called “Winnie-the-Pooh,” is turning 100, and some people in Britain who love him very much want him to come home...

“Just like the Greeks want their Elgin Marbles back, so we want our Winnie-the-Pooh back, along with all his splendid friends,” Gwyneth Dunwoody, a Labour member of parliament, said in the House of Commons in 1998."

AI less regulated than milk, Microsoft president says in warning over safety; The Guardian, October 12, 2026

Lauren Almeida, The Guardian ; AI less regulated than milk, Microsoft president says in warning over safety

"Artificial intelligence is less regulated than milk and washing machines, the president of Microsoft has said, as the tech industry warns over the safety of AI.

Brad Smith said there should be more safety rules to govern the technology including a legal obligation to a “victim” if their system was breached by rogue AI agents.

He told the BBC: “Right now, your washing machine is subject to more safety rules than AI. Every carton of milk that you see in the grocery store is subject to safety rules and inspection.”

There are growing calls from experts, politicians and regulators for tougher rules to control AI, as well as warnings from Anthropic, Google DeepMind and OpenAI that the pace of the technology’s development should slow.

Smith said AI could be a “tool and a weapon” that should be regulated urgently.

Companies needed “emergency brakes”, also known as “kill switches”, to pause or slow down AI if it grew out of control, he told the BBC."

World's first patient to undergo live AI-assisted brain surgery has tumour removed; BBC, August 26, 2026

Smitha Mundasad, BBC; World's first patient to undergo live AI-assisted brain surgery has tumour removed

"The world's first patient to have brain surgery with live artificial intelligence assistance has successfully had his tumour removed.

Rhys Hibbert, a father-of-two from Bedfordshire, could have lost his sight without the operation, said surgeons at University College London Hospital.

The AI tool analysed a video feed of the operation as it happened and advised surgeons on how to avoid crucial but hidden vessels and nerves in the brain. It allowed them to safely remove as much of the tumour as possible.

"From a patient safety perspective, I can see absolutely the benefit. There are no road signs inside our head," said Hibbert."

UK's Bloomsbury among beneficiaries of $1.5 billion Anthropic copyright lawsuit settlement; Reuters, July 22, 2026

 Reuters ; UK's Bloomsbury among beneficiaries of $1.5 billion Anthropic copyright lawsuit settlement

"Britain's Bloomsbury ​Publishing confirmed on Wednesday it was among ‌the beneficiaries of a landmark $1.5 billion settlement that resolves claims artificial intelligence ​company Anthropic used copyrighted books ​to train its AI models without ⁠purchasing the content.

Here are some ​more details:

• Bloomsbury said a U.S. court ​identified 14,087 of its titles covered by the settlement, with proposed compensation of ​about $3,000 per title, split equally ​between the author and publisher...
• The settlement ​is the largest known copyright payout ​in ⁠U.S. history."

NHS app to use AI to determine which service best for patients; BBC, July 5, 2026

Emily Atkinson, BBC; NHS app to use AI to determine which service best for patients

"Artificial intelligence software will be used on the NHS app to determine which service is most appropriate for patients in England, the health service has announced.

A new triage tool will ask patients a series of questions, and will use the responses to direct them to a GP appointment, pharmacy, A&E, community service or offer self-care advice.

NHS England said the update would reach more than 200,000 patients in the next 12 months and be available to all app users by April 2028 as part of a "major overhaul" of its technology. 

The rollout has been largely welcomed, but some health bodies urged the NHS to prioritise patient safety, confidentiality and inclusion as it grows more reliant on AI.

According to NHS England, the triage tool will provide advice and suggest services or book appointments. Part of its aim is to reduce waiting on the phone when GP surgeries typically open their lines at 08:00."

Social media firms hit back as Starmer announces ban for under-16s in UK; The Guardian, June 15, 2026

Kiran Stacey and Peter Walker , The Guardian; Social media firms hit back as Starmer announces ban for under-16s in UK

"Britain’s plans to ban social media for under-16s will push teenagers towards more harmful platforms, the world’s biggest technology companies have said as ministers push to enact the new restrictions by next spring.

Meta, YouTube and Snapchat have all criticised the ban, which was announced by Keir Starmer on Monday and would stop younger teenagers from using their services."

‘Straight out of Trumpland’: LGBTQ+ members fight for Pride after Essex library ban; The Guardian, June 14, 2026

Geneva Abdul and Aamna Mohdin, The Guardian ; ‘Straight out of Trumpland’: LGBTQ+ members fight for Pride after Essex library ban

"Before Reform gained control of Essex county council in the May elections, Chris Taylor and members of the Rochford LGBTQ+ community already felt they were witnessing a growing tide of political rhetoric around identity.

But they were still shocked when the county’s new leadership moved to ban Pride events in 74 libraries, scaling back events of “any particular groups or themes”, a decision they said was “straight out of Trumpland”.

“It communicates the fact that we’re not welcome,” said Taylor, who recently launched a petition against the “Orwellian” ban on pride events in Essex libraries.

Reform councils across England, from Essex and Durham to Leicestershire and Kent, have imposed bans on flying the pride flag and holding pride events in public spaces, as well as, in some cases, defunding pride events previously sponsored by local authorities.

Essex county council said libraries were “safe spaces for everybody” and LGBTQ+ books and displays would continue, but added the promotion of library events aimed at specific groups was under review.

Reform councils have stopped flying Pride flags outside civic centres and county halls and restricted council flagpoles exclusively to union, national, county or armed forces flags at council buildings under its control."

Why could closing a library silence music groups?; BBC, June 11, 2026

Martin Heath , BBC; Why could closing a library silence music groups?

"The conductor of a long-established orchestra has warned that some music and drama groups could fold if a performing arts library is closed.

Hertfordshire County Council has consulted on a plan to shut down the facility, which provides music and scripts for about 230 groups.

It says it is having to make savings to ensure essential library services are protected.

So why would getting rid of the performing arts collection have such an impact?...

Could groups close if they cannot rely on the library?

Ross said: "My colleagues who are the librarians in our society, and in all other comparable organisations, are all volunteers doing this in their own time. [They] are going to find what's already quite a complex job... [becomes] something that's almost going to be impossible. 

"So, in short, yes, I think some groups may close down and for others, they're going to be spending a lot more money from what are inevitably very limited budgets on music hire, which means they can't spend that money then on other activities that serve the community."

Bryony Woods, co-founder of the Stotfold Singers, said closure "would really negatively impact a lot of people". 

"I think we're living in a time where you know we're becoming more isolated and lonely than ever and I think something that is bringing people out of their homes to join in something like communal singing is only a positive thing and I think we should be encouraging it.""

Sales of Meta whistleblower’s memoir soar after Hay festival ‘silencing’; The Guardian, June 10, 2026

Ella Creamer , The Guardian; Sales of Meta whistleblower’s memoir soar after Hay festival ‘silencing’

"Sales of the whistleblowing memoir Careless People increased by more than 300% in the UK the week after its author was “silenced” during an appearance at Hay festival following legal action by Meta, the subject of the book.

Sarah Wynn-Williams – who between 2011 and 2017 served as the director of global public policy at what was then called Facebook – sat on stage but did not speak during her hour-long appearance on 31 May on the advice of her lawyer. She appeared alongside the journalist Carole Cadwalladr and academic Tim Wu.

The sales boost – 304.5% week-on-week – has nudged the book, published last March, to the number one spot in the paperback nonfiction chart.

Upon publication, Meta obtained an order blocking Wynn-Williams from promoting her book, which accuses the company of a toxic internal culture and manipulative political influence."

Committee publishes Government response to AI and copyright report; UK Parliament, May 15, 2026

 UK Parliament; Committee publishes Government response to AI and copyright report

 "Chair’s response

Baroness Keeley, Chair of the Communications and Digital Committee, said:

“I am pleased that the Government’s response today confirms what it set out in March: that it no longer has a preference for introducing a broad copyright exception for AI training with an opt-out mechanism. It was clear that this approach would have been unworkable and placed an unfair burden on individual rightsholders. 

“The UK AI licensing market is emerging, and the Government now needs to create the conditions that will enable it to flourish. It can do this by ruling out any reform to copyright law that removes incentives to license, including proposals for a new commercial research exception, and committing to statutory transparency requirements for large AI developers. The Government says it will develop ‘best practice’ to encourage developers to be more transparent about the sources they use to train their models, but best practice alone will not promote licensing, drive compliance or enable robust enforcement. Only a mandatory framework will create the level playing field needed to foster responsible training data practices. 

“The coming months will be crucial in establishing a clear direction on AI and copyright for all stakeholders. The recently launched Sovereign AI Fund gives the Government the opportunity to insist on enhanced transparency and respect for copyright from the high-potential AI companies it supports. We will keep up a continued dialogue with Ministers to ensure that the Government is using all available levers, and demonstrating the necessary ambition, to drive meaningful progress on this issue.”

Shein accuses Temu of copyright infringement on 'industrial scale'; Quartz, May 11, 2026

 Colleen Cabili , Quarz; Shein accuses Temu of copyright infringement on 'industrial scale'

"Shein accused rival Temu of copyright infringement "on an industrial scale" as a two-week trial opened Monday at London's High Court, with Temu firing back that the lawsuit was designed to stifle competition rather than protect intellectual property."

Thank you, David Attenborough, for 100 incredible years of life on Earth; The Guardian, May 5, 2026

Jess Harwood, The Guardian; Thank you, David Attenborough, for 100 incredible years of life on Earth

Palantir manifesto described as ‘ramblings of a supervillain’ amid UK contract fears; The Guardian, April 21, 2026

Aisha Down and Robert Booth, The Guardian ; Palantir manifesto described as ‘ramblings of a supervillain’ amid UK contract fears

Alarm caused by posts of Alex Karp, tech firm’s CEO, championing US military dominance and of AI weapons

"The US spy tech company Palantir published a manifesto extolling the benefits of American power and implying some cultures are inferior to others – in what MPs have called “a parody of a RoboCop film” and “the ramblings of a supervillain”.

“Some cultures have produced vital advances; others remain dysfunctional and regressive,” wrote Palantir in a 22-point post on X over the weekend, which also called for an end to the “postwar neutering” of Germany and Japan...

The pronouncement is the most recent of a number of high-profile statements from Palantir and its chief executive, Alex Karp, which appear to indicate that Karp views himself as not simply the head of a software company, but a pundit with important insights into the future of civilisation."...

In an interview with CNBC in early March, Karp suggested that AI would “disrupt” the power of “highly educated, often female voters who vote mostly Democrat”,and instead empower “vocationally trained, working-class, often male, working-class voters”."

‘Occasionally a picture can change the course of history’: 33 scandalous photos that shocked the world; The Guardian, April 4, 2026

 Gaby Hinsliff, The Guardian; ‘Occasionally a picture can change the course of history’: 33 scandalous photos that shocked the world 

"The Bullingdon Club photograph, 1987

By Rona Marsden

In 2007, the Mail on Sunday published a photograph taken 20 years earlier: a group portrait of the Bullingdon Club’s class of 1987. Ten young members appear in the bespoke uniform of the exclusive all-male “dining club” at the University of Oxford. Among them are two future luminaries of the Conservative party: David Cameron (standing, second left) and Boris Johnson (seated on the right).

The club’s reputation as a drinking society for badly behaved posh boys – in 1987, a plant pot was thrown out of a window during a Bullingdon party – made the photo a source of embarrassment for Cameron, then leader of the opposition. “We do things when we are young that we deeply regret,” he said in 2009.

Soon after, the company that holds the copyright for the image withdrew permission to republish it. This painting by Oxford-based artist Rona Marsden was commissioned by BBC Newsnight as an alternative. The image remains a striking illustration of the elitism of Britain’s ruling class, and the vast inequality within the country. GS"

NHS staff boycott Palantir’s data platform over ethical concerns; Financial Times, April 1, 2026

Laura Hughes , Financial Times; NHS staff boycott Palantir’s data platform over ethical concerns

Controversial US tech group was awarded a £330mn contract in 2023 to collate hospital and patient information

"A growing number of NHS staff are refusing to work on Palantir’s health data platform over ethical concerns about the controversial US tech company.

The technology company was awarded a £330mn contract in 2023 to create the Federated Data Platform (FDP), which collates NHS operational data such as waiting lists, staffing, patient information and operating theatre schedules.

Palantir’s NHS role has become increasingly contentious owing to its work in the US defence sector and co-founder and chief executive Alex Karp’s outspoken backing for Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown." 

Q&A: The UK’s Copyright Report - A Gift to Creators, a Problem for AI; JD Supra, March 27, 2026

 Oliver Howley, JD Supra; Q&A: The UK’s Copyright Report - A Gift to Creators, a Problem for AI

"The UK Government has released its long-awaited copyright report, framed as an attempt to reconcile the competing interests of creators, technology companies and the wider innovation ecosystem. Rightsholders will welcome it, while the UK’s AI sector will find less comfort.

Two core policy decisions (on training data and on the ownership of AI-generated outputs) mark a shift away from earlier, more developer-friendly proposals. Both decisions leave significant questions unanswered: how AI developers can lawfully assemble training data at scale, what happens to content produced with minimal human input, and whether the UK’s current posture is sustainable in a world where capital and training runs are increasingly mobile.

In this Q&A, Oliver Howley, partner in Proskauer’s TMT Group and one of The Lawyer’s 2026 Hot 100, unpacks what the report says on these two decisions, what it leaves open, and what it means for developers, investors and rightsholders navigating the uncertainty ahead."

UK reverses course on AI copyright position after backlash; Engadget, March 18, 2026

 Will Shanklin , Engadget; UK reverses course on AI copyright position after backlash

"halk up a win for creative artists against AI companies. On Wednesday, the UK government abandoned its previous position on copyrighted works. It’s currently working on a data bill that, if unaltered, would have allowed AI companies like Google and OpenAI to train models on copyrighted materials without consent. Artists and other copyright holders would only have been offered a mere opt-out clause.

After significant backlash, the UK backed off from that position. "We have listened," Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said on Wednesday. However, the government’s new stance is, well, not a stance at all. It currently "no longer has a preferred option" about how to handle the issue.

Still, backpedaling from its previous position is viewed as a win for artists. UK Music CEO Tom Kiehl described the decision as "a major victory," while promising to work with the government on the next steps."

UK to rule out sweeping AI copyright overhaul; Politico, March 11, 2026

 JOSEPH BAMBRIDGE, Politico; UK to rule out sweeping AI copyright overhaul 

The U.K. will rule out making creatives actively opt out of having their copyrighted material scraped by AI companies.

"The U.K. government will rule out sweeping reform of its copyright laws in a highly-anticipated policy update next week, according to three people briefed on government thinking and granted anonymity to speak freely. 

The people said the update, due by March 18, will state the government does not plan to take forward work on an “opt out” model, whereby rights holders would have to explicitly say they do not want their work used to train AI models. 

It comes amid intense pressure from rights holders and lawmakers not to pursue the “opt out” policy. The government previously said this was its “preferred option” to facilitate AI innovation in the U.K., before ministers were forced to row back."