LONDON: Over 400 leading British artists, including Dua Lipa, Sir Elton John, Sir Ian McKellen, and Florence Welch, have signed an open letter urging Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to strengthen copyright laws against unregulated use by AI developers.
They warn that without clear protections, creators risk “giving away” their work to tech companies, threatening both their livelihoods and the UK’s reputation as a cultural leader.
The letter calls on the government to support an amendment to the Data (Use and Access) Bill, proposed by Baroness Beeban Kidron, which would require AI developers to be transparent about the use of copyrighted content in training their models.
The amendment aims to enable fair licensing arrangements between tech firms and content creators, securing a future for human-made art in the digital age.
Signatories include Paul McCartney, Kazuo Ishiguro, Kate Bush, Robbie Williams, Coldplay, Richard Curtis, and Tom Stoppard.
AI and Creation
The letter asserts that AI depends on creative work as much as it does on energy and computing power.
The government has stated it wants both the creative and AI sectors to thrive and is currently reviewing feedback from a consultation.
While it has ruled out any changes that fail to work for creators, some critics argue that stricter rules could drive AI innovation abroad and damage the UK economy.
Baroness Kidron emphasised that transparency is key to building a viable licensing system, allowing Britain to lead in ethical AI development.
Meanwhile, authors and musicians have increasingly expressed alarm over the use of their work without consent, calling for fairer protections as generative AI tools grow in popularity.
The government has committed to publishing an economic impact report before making further decisions.
