Artists Unveil Quiet Album in Opposition to AI-driven Copyright Proposals
In a striking display of solidarity, over a thousand UK musicians, including renowned artists such as Kate Bush, Damon Albarn, Sam Fender, Annie Lennox, Billy Ocean, Tom Grennan, New Order, Simon Le Bon, Tori Amos, Pet Shop Boys, The Clash, Bashy, Jamiroquai, Imogen Heap, Hans Zimmer, and the Royal Albert Hall, have come together to release a silent album titled "Is This What We Want?" as a protest against proposed changes to the UK's copyright law.
The silent album, which features recordings of empty studios and performance spaces, symbolises the potential loss of the musicians' livelihoods and creative voice if the UK government's plans to allow AI companies to train their models using copyrighted music without requiring permission or paying the original creators are implemented.
The proposed changes have sparked widespread opposition from artists, with figures like Sir Elton John, Simon Cowell, and Sir Paul McCartney rallying against them. The musicians argue that the policy would threaten their creative rights and livelihoods.
The purpose of the album is to draw attention to the government's plans, which would place the burden on artists to opt out rather than requiring explicit consent. This exception for AI training on copyrighted works without consent and fair remuneration is a concern for the artists, who fear it could undermine the value and control they have over their own music.
Ed Newton-Rex, a prominent campaigner, has expressed deep concerns about the potential ramifications of the government's proposal, stating that it could hand over the life's work of musicians to AI companies without adequate compensation.
Under the proposed plans, a copyright exemption would be established for training AI, allowing tech companies to use copyrighted material without obtaining a license. The utilisation of existing models that have been trained on public internet data remains a point of contention in the debate about AI and copyright law.
The album's proceeds will be donated to the musicians' charity, Help Musicians. The track listing of the album states, "The British government must not legalize music theft to benefit AI companies."
The government is urged to heed the concerns raised by industry leaders, award-winning artists, and literary figures. Dan Conway, the CEO of the Publishers Association, has emphasised the overwhelming opposition to the proposed changes in the music industry.
Creators would need to actively opt out to protect their work under the proposed plans. Such a move, according to Newton-Rex, would be detrimental to musicians and represents a significant threat to the UK's thriving creative industries.
The silent album, a poignant symbol of artists' resistance and unity, has garnered widespread support within the creative community. The album underscores the collective commitment to preserving the integrity and rights of artists in the digital age, as the fight against the "great copyright heist" continues.
The silent album, a poignant symbol of artists' resistance and unity, embodies the collective commitment to preserving the integrity and rights of creators in the digital age, as it challenges the proposed changes in UK copyright law that could potentially allow AI companies to use copyrighted music without obtaining permission. As Michael Eavis, the founder of Glastonbury Festival, rightly puts it, "This proposed change is equivalent to stealing, and it's time to wake up the science, technology, entertainment, and music industries to protect creators' rights." Furthermore, the global impact of such a policy shift could extend beyond music to other creative domains, jeopardizing the livelihoods of artists and innovators worldwide.
