The Generative AI Era: Embracing Innovation and Good Governance

The rapid adoption of generative AI is revolutionising the way we work. According to recent research by The Copyright Licensing Agency (CLA), 61% of UK professionals already use generative AI, with 4 in 5 using it on a weekly basis.

Evidence of this trend is further supported by a Lexis Nexis report, which found that 82% of lawyers are currently using, or are planning to use, generative AI technology. The rapid uptake by the legal profession comes as no surprise with many efficiency and productivity gains on offer; legal professionals can now summarise legal documents, identify key points in a case, and conduct legal research with greater speed and efficiency.

However, integrating generative AI into legal work streams raises a number of operational risks as well as legal and ethical issues. CLA’s research reveals that over three-quarters of UK professionals surveyed admit to uploading, copying, and pasting third-party content into prompts. Without the appropriate permissions in place, this practice exposes organisations to potential risks including copyright infringement.

Good governance is crucial when seeking to implement new and innovative technologies like generative AI. Law firms should consider putting in place considered frameworks and policies early on to provide clear guidance to staff and provide training to aid understanding of the opportunities and limitations of the technology to manage the risks associated with its use. This includes implementing workplace policies that identify permitted and prohibited tools and uses of generative AI and other parameters as well as ensuring appropriate licences are in place to support lawful use of third-party content as prompts.

The CLA Law Licence and New Generative AI Permissions

The CLA Law Licence plays a pivotal role in supporting good governance and managing compliance risk within the legal sector. This licence provides law firms with the permissions needed to copy and use copyright-protected third-party content within the CLA repertoire in their daily operations. The CLA Law Licence extends copyright permissions beyond a legal database, to include industry publications, websites and journals. The new CLA workplace gen AI permissions, launched in May 2025, supports the responsible use of generative AI tools in the workplace.

The new licence permissions allow professionals to lawfully copy and use certain published content as prompts for permitted generative AI tools, subject to the terms and conditions of the licence. This enables firms to leverage the potential benefits of generative AI while ensuring that any use of third-party content protected by copyright complies with copyright law in the UK.

Joel Smith, a partner in Simmons & Simmons’ London IP group, discusses how CLA’s extended licence permissions support innovation without compromising compliance;

“The CLA has made a point of engaging proactively with stakeholders to produce a business-friendly licence, intended to meet the needs of the legal sector. This framework enables law firms to responsibly explore the benefits of innovation that generative AI tools have to offer, whilst also using high-quality published content in prompting.”