UK’s Biggest Stars Unite to Protect Creative Industries from AI Plunder
A Warning from the Music Industry
The biggest names in British music have united to back a campaign to stop AI from plundering the UK’s creative genius. The stars of the Brit Awards, held last night, posed for photos and recorded videos to show their support for the "Make It Fair" campaign, which aims to prevent artificial intelligence (AI) developers from exploiting the country’s creative industries without permission or payment.
The Concerns
The music industry is worth £126 billion to the UK economy, but the proposed changes to copyright law could see AI companies gain free access to British films, books, music, and news to train their models without needing to pay or seek permission from the creators or owners. This could lead to the "industrial-scale" theft of online content, with creators having to opt-out if they don’t want their work exploited by such firms.
The Stars Speak Out
McFly guitarist Danny Jones and bandmate Tom Fletcher were among the first to back the campaign, followed by indie rock girlband The Last Dinner Party, whose album "Prelude To Ecstasy" was up for Album of the Year. Kasabian frontman Sergio Pizzorno, Paloma Faith, Myles Smith, Lola Young, Rachel Chinouriri, FLO, and Nia Archives also had their pictures taken in the photo booth.
Scottish star Tom Walker, who wrote and sang the hit "Leave A Light On," summed up the protest, saying, "Just leave it to musicians to make music."
Rock Legend Warns of ‘Death of Originality’
Led Zeppelin legend Jimmy Page, 81, warned that the government’s plans could sign "the death warrant of originality." He compared the plan to how he honed his craft as a session musician in the early 1960s, saying, "If someone had taken my riffs without acknowledgement or payment, it would have been deemed theft. The same standard must apply to AI."
Government’s Response
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has signalled a possible climbdown, saying, "The creative sector is really important to our economy… AI is really important to our economy, and we’ll review it in that light. But I want creatives to thrive. I think they’re really important for our country – not just the contribution to the economy but our global reputation."
FAQs
- What is the "Make It Fair" campaign?
The "Make It Fair" campaign is a campaign to stop AI from plundering the UK’s creative industries without permission or payment. - What are the proposed changes to copyright law?
The proposed changes would give AI companies free access to British films, books, music, and news to train their models without needing to pay or seek permission from the creators or owners. - What is the impact on the creative industries?
The changes could lead to the "industrial-scale" theft of online content, with creators having to opt-out if they don’t want their work exploited by such firms. - What is the government’s response?
The Prime Minister has signalled a possible climbdown, saying that the government will review the plans in light of the creative sector’s importance to the economy.
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