McCartney: “AI threatens creativity and artists’ rights”
Interviewed by the BBC, Paul McCartney criticized the proposed changes to copyright law, claiming that, if approved, they would allow artificial intelligence to exploit the work of artists, causing a “loss of creativity”.
The UK government is currently considering changing copyright law to allow AI developers to use content created by third parties online if they use it for data or text mining to develop their models. The proposals include the possibility for artists and creators to exercise a “reservation right” to exclude their works from use by AI, but this clause has been criticized by many, who believe it is unenforceable. In fact, it would be impossible for an individual to notify thousands of AI service providers or monitor the use of their works across the entire network.
The former Beatle spoke out against these changes, pointing out that they could eliminate the economic incentive for artists, thus reducing creativity. “When we were kids in Liverpool, we found a job that we loved, but which also allowed us to pay the bills,” he said in the interview with Laura Kuenssberg: “Today, there are young boys and girls who write a wonderful song, but they do not own the rights to it and have nothing to do with it. And anyone can just steal it from them.” He continued: “The truth is that that money ends up somewhere. Someone gets paid, so why shouldn’t it be the one who sat down and wrote ‘Yesterday’?”
McCartney then urged the government to reconsider the changes, stating: “We are the people, you are the government! You should protect us. This is your job. If you want to pass a law, make sure you protect creative thinkers and artists, or you risk losing them.”
Sir Paul and Ringo Starr have previously used artificial intelligence technology to restore John Lennon’s vocals on “Now And Then”, the last Beatles song released in 2023. However, the AI used for this operation was analytical, and not generative: it was used to restore existing material, not to create something completely new.
Generative AI programs, on the other hand, draw on enormous amounts of data (texts, images or music available online) to generate new content that appears to have been created by humans.
The issue of using AI in music has become increasingly relevant in recent times. In April last year, Billie Eilish, Robert Smith, Stevie Wonder and Nicki Minaj were named among the artists who signed an open letter against the “predatory” use of AI in music. Other musicians who signed the document include Katy Perry, Sam Smith, Kim Petras, REM, Jon Bon Jovi, Mumford & Sons, Imagine Dragons, d4vd, Jon Batiste, Finneas, Fletcher, Pearl Jam, J Balvin, Jonas Brothers, Noah Kahan, Norah Jones, Yard Act, The Last Dinner Party, Zayn Malik, Smokey Robinson, Sheryl Crow, Sigrid, the heirs of Bob Marley and Frank Sinatra, the label of BTS HYBE and many more.
