IA and copyright, Elton John and 400 artists in government: “Support us”

Elton John, Coldplay and Dua Lipa are among the 400 artists who are asking the government of the United Kingdom to modify copyright lawsin light of the threat represented by artificial intelligence. The signatories therefore support a proposal that would oblige artificial intelligence companies to declare which copyright protected materials have used to train their models. Paul McCartney, Florence Welch, Kate Bush and Robbie Williams have also signed a letter addressed to Keir Starmer, asking for a bill to protect the artistic works protected by copyright from violations made through the IA.

Monday 12 May, the Lord Chamber should vote on an amendment to A bill that would oblige IA developers to reveal which copyright protected materials have used for training their models. So far, the government led by Starmer has expressed reservations about the amendment, preferring to continue the current consultation process. Currently, the British law allows data mining for non -commercial purposes automatically, while for commercial uses the holders of rights must expressly oppose the data mining.

In the letter addressed to the Prime Minister, shared on the Instagram profile of Elton John and signed together with her husband David Furnish, we read: “Creative copyright is the beating heart of creative industries. Recognizes the moral authority we have on our works and guarantees an income to 2.4 million people in the four nations of the United Kingdom. “

“The battle to defend our creative industries united dozens of British companies, including those that use and develop artificial intelligence. We are not against progress or innovation. The creative industries have always been among the first sectors to adopt new technologies. In fact, many of the largest inventions in the world, from the light bulb to the same IA, were born from British creative minds struggling with the technology.”

In the letter it is therefore highlighted that “The first task of any government is to protect its citizens“, Stating that the bill” would put transparency at the center of the copyright system and would allow both IA developers and creators to content to process license regimes and guarantee the survival of the content created by man also in the future“. In conclusion, we read:

“To the parliamentarians of all political sides and of both rooms, we address an appeal: voted in favor of the United Kingdom’s creative industries. Support us means supporting the creators of the future. Our work is not yours to give”.

Many of the signatory artists had already expressed themselves publicly on the subject. In January, Paul McCartney had said: “There are young boys and girls who write beautiful songs, and they are no owners, they no longer have any control. And anyone can steal them”. And he added: “We are the people, you are the government! Your task is to protect us. So, if you are approving a law, make sure to protect creative thinkers, the artists, otherwise you will no longer have any. “

Jimmy Page also took a position last March, writing: “The ethical implications are enormous. When the IA is fishing in the vast heritage of human creativity to generate content, it often does it without consent, without attribution and without compensation. This is not innovation, it is exploitation. “Adding:”We must promote legislation that prevents artificial intelligence from monetizing human creativity Without an explicit consensus and fair compensation. The preferred option from the government in the current consultation does not guarantee it “.

In turn, while 1,000 artists – including Damon Albarn, Kate Bush and Annie Lennox – released a silent album in protest against the planned legislative changes, Brian May of Queen He had declared in an interview for the Daily Mail: “I’m afraid it’s already too late: This theft has already happened and is unstoppablelike so many incursions that the monstrously arrogant billionaires owners of the AI ​​and social media are carrying out in our lives. The future has now changed forever ”.