More than 1,000 prominent British musicians have released a silent album to protest the United Kingdom’s proposed changes to artificial intelligence and copyright laws.
The album, called Is This What We Want?, features artists like Kate Bush, The Clash, Hans Zimmer, and Annie Lennox. The U.K. government has proposed a policy that would let AI models be trained on copyrighted works, with consultation ending last week.
“The U.K. is full of pioneering, highly creative and imaginative artists. The government's willingness to agree to these copyright changes shows how much our work is undervalued and that there is no protection for one of this country's most important assets: music,” said Bush.
The government’s proposal “is a plan that would not only be disastrous for musicians, but that is totally unnecessary: the U.K. can be leaders in AI without throwing our world-leading creative industries under the bus,” said Ed Newton-Rex, organiser of the project and head of the non-profit Fairly Trained. Fairly Trained certifies AI companies that do not use copyrighted material without permission.
Under the U.K. government’s proposal, artists could choose to withdraw their copyrighted work from use in AI training. The government said this “would balance right holders’ ability to seek remuneration while providing a clear legal basis for AI training with copyright material”.
The policy would unfairly exempt AI developers from adhering to U.K. copyright law, however, according to a letter in The Times signed by artists like Bush, Paul McCartney, and Dua Lipa.
The U.K.’s Creative Rights in AI Coalition, which represents industry bodies across media and the arts, has recommended that AI companies be required to seek permission from artists to use their work, rather than artists having the option to opt out.
Is This What We Want? was recorded in empty studios and performance spaces, “representing the impact we expect the government’s proposals would have on musicians’ livelihoods”, according to the project’s website.
Its 12 song titles together spell out “The British Government Must Not Legalise Music Theft to Benefit AI Companies”. Profits will be donated to U.K. musicians charity Help Musicians.
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