What members can expect from ALCS in 2026

Barbara Hayes discusses the upcoming distribution, improvements to the way we operate and our plans to engage with our members in the coming year.

As ever, the start of a new year means we’re already busy preparing for our March distribution. Making sure we collect and pay out money to you is at the very heart of what we do, and I’m delighted to say we’re on track to distribute well over £30 million in this first payout of 2026.

At a time of real uncertainty and precarity, I know how important these payments are for our members – not just for day-to-day finances, but for morale too. They are a tangible recognition of the value of your work, and a reminder that it matters. We will continue to work on your behalf to ensure you are fairly paid whenever your work is used, and to stand up for authors in what remains a challenging and fast-changing environment.

Last year, we rolled out the first module of our Strategic Systems Project – an important step in modernising our systems and improving how we collect data, process it, and allocate money to you. We’re already seeing real efficiency gains, and throughout 2026 we’ll be extending these upgrades across more teams and business areas, so our staff can spend more time focusing on supporting our members.

These improvements aren’t just about speed and efficiency. They’re also about resilience and security. Protecting your data and the funds we hold and distribute on your behalf is a top priority, especially given the worrying rise in cyber-attacks across all sectors in recent years.

As part of this work, we’ll be introducing additional security measures over the coming year, including multi-factor authentication when you log in to your ALCS account. We know security can sometimes feel like an extra hurdle, so we’ll make the process as straightforward as possible, with options such as text or app-based authentication, so you can choose what works best for you. We’ll keep you fully informed as these changes roll out and let you know clearly if and when we need you to take any action.

You may have noticed that ALCS has a refreshed look. Last year, we asked for your views to make sure our branding still resonates and reflects the organisation you want us to be. We listened carefully to your feedback and have used it to modernise how we present ourselves and our work, while staying true to our purpose.

Following two very successful member receptions in York and Edinburgh last year, we’re excited to build on that momentum. In the year ahead, we plan to expand our events programme and host more receptions around the country. We love hosting these events that give us an opportunity to meet our members and understand your perspectives. Most importantly, they help foster a sense of community and strengthen connections between members. They also give us a chance to share the work we’ve been doing on your behalf, and to hear directly from you about what matters most, what’s working well, and where we can do better.

2026 is shaping up to be another significant year for writers and for the wider creative sector. While writers’ rights will continue to face challenges, we’ve already seen how powerful the collective voice of creators can be in shaping Government policy. We also continue to work closely with our partners to develop a new licensing model for the use of your works by generative AI systems, ensuring your interests remain firmly protected and that you receive payment for all uses of your work, if you so choose.

Rest assured, we will approach the challenges ahead with care and determination.  Here’s to a successful year ahead for all of us!

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Richard Combes discusses what the coming year has in store for AI and copyright, including the Government’s plans, litigation against AI companies and our efforts to develop a collective licence for AI training.

As in recent years, our work in 2026 will have a strong focus on the implications of AI for writers and copyright more widely. In March, when the Government publishes an analysis of the policy options under consideration, the question is whether their bet on AI as an engine of economic growth, bolstered by last year’s US trade and technology deals, will trump their duty to support the UK’s creative industries. Faced with a choice between Scylla and Charybdis, it’s possible that the Government will drop anchor and leave it to the market, amplifying the need to develop fair and workable licensing solutions.

To that end, we’ve been working closely with our partners at the Copyright Licensing Agency (CLA) and Publishers’ Licensing Services (PLS) to develop a collective licence for the use of published material for AI training and we’ll be in touch with members with relevant works in the spring with further information on taking part. Where direct licensing is already taking place, in concert with colleagues from other writers’ organisations, we will work hard to ensure writers’ rights are respected and fairly remunerated.  

While it’s important to secure the right domestic approach to copyright and AI, the year’s most significant developments in this space are likely to come from the US. Although its policy on copyright and AI – in common with that on territorial expansionism – is currently on ice, we should expect some progress with the corpus of AI-related litigation, with March also seeing the claims deadline in the Anthropic class action settlement.

A scheme delivering compensation to writers for the unauthorised use of their works to train AI models is a positive development, but it’s worth remembering that the judge found fault with the sourcing of materials – copies plundered from pirate sites – not in their use as AI training fodder. The legal tussle over whether AI training can be considered, in copyright terms, as a ‘fair use’ will continue this year as the other lawsuits unfold.  

This year we will also continue our work with colleagues within the Audiovisual Licensing Alliance (AVLA) and the Smart Fund group, to increase payment opportunities for scriptwriters, as well as pushing ahead with the SCOOP initiative to ensure freelance journalists receive a fair share of the fees generated by the re-use of their works.     

As freelancers are so critical to the health and success of our creative industries, we’re pleased that the Government agreed on the need for a Freelance Champion. We have our first ministerial meeting of the year shortly to help define the terms of this new role which, at a time of great financial uncertainty for many freelance creators, will be a vital one.