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As many of you may already know, AI is making big waves in almost every sector, from healthcare to entertainment. But while AI has the potential to unlock incredible innovations, it’s also raising some serious concerns about copyright law and the future of creators’ rights.

AI scraping

AI is built by learning from vast amounts of content – text, audio, video – which allows it to create new works based on that training. This means that the data used to train these models is crucial. But how does AI get access to this content? One common method is ‘scraping’, where AI developers extract data from millions of websites to feed into their models. Currently in the UK, scraping is only allowed for strictly non-commercial research – think universities or academic projects. However, the UK government has recently proposed a change to this law, and that’s where things get tricky.

The government wants to introduce an exemption in copyright law that would allow technology companies to use UK-created content – including films, TV shows, music, journalism and more – to train their AI models. The idea is that these companies would be able to use creative works freely, as long as the creator hasn’t explicitly "opted out". In other words, unless artists, musicians and writers take the proactive step of opting out, their work could be scraped and used by technology companies to train AI systems, without any compensation or permission.

At first glance, it might seem like a harmless way to advance AI technology and propel the UK into becoming a global hub for AI, with the government arguing that it could spur economic growth. However, many in the creative industries see this as a serious threat to their livelihoods and their intellectual property. Critics argue that these changes would effectively reverse the entire principle of copyright law, which is built on the idea that creators have exclusive control over their own work. For many musicians and artists, this feels like a step too far. Anneliese Midgley, a Labour MP and member of the Musicians' Union, shared that many musicians are already struggling in an industry where streaming has made it harder to earn a fair income. These new proposals could further undermine their ability to make a living from their art, all while technology companies profit from their creations.

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Widespread backlash

The backlash has been swift and widespread, with artists, musicians and writers leading the charge. More than 1,000 musicians, including household names like Kate Bush, Elton John, Annie Lennox and Dua Lipa, have joined forces in protest. They’ve even released a "silent album" to voice their opposition to these changes, warning that their creativity could be stolen and used to generate AI-created content without fair compensation, essentially it's legalised music theft.

Musicians are especially worried about this. Anneliese Midgley, a Labour MP for Knowsley and a member of the Musicians’ Union, said she’s been hearing a lot from musicians who are really concerned. She pointed out that the music industry is already pretty tough on artists, with many struggling to make money – especially now that streaming services have made it harder for musicians to see a fair share of profits. “Songs are being played more than ever,” she says, “but musicians are seeing less money. Someone is getting paid, but it isn’t the people who create the music”. And now, if AI companies can just grab their music to train models, that could mean even less money for artists.

Midgley isn’t alone in this concern. Pete Wishart, SNP MP and former member of the Scottish rock bands Big Country and Runrig, isn’t holding back either. He’s been outspoken about the risks of the government's plans: "If these plans go ahead, AI companies will just grab every piece of human creativity for free and use it to outshine our own artists." And he's not the only one concerned. Wishart’s inbox is packed with messages from people who are seriously worried about how this could destroy the UK’s creative industries. “The government can’t push for an AI-friendly economy at the cost of one of the most valuable and cherished sectors of our culture,” he said. And honestly, it’s hard to disagree with him!

Conclusion

As the debate heats up in parliament, it’s clear that this issue is far from over. AI is an exciting technology, but it shouldn’t come at the expense of creators who are already struggling to make a living. As the government moves forward with its plans, the creative community is pushing back – and they’re not backing down.

Whether through protests like the silent album or petitions from some of the UK’s most well-known artists, one thing is clear: creators are fighting to ensure their work is protected, and they’re not going to let technology companies profit from their hard work without fair compensation.