Renowned musician Brian May has joined forces with several high-profile artists and music industry leaders in warning that the UK government’s plan to employ an “opt-out” model for AI training could render all previous copyright laws obsolete. The proposal, which would allow tech companies to train AI using copyrighted material unless an artist explicitly opted out, has sparked significant concern within the music industry.
May describes the current situation as “theft,” stating that AI training on copyrighted material is “unstoppable” and will lead to a future where “nobody will be able to afford to make music.” He fears it may already be too late, adding that the landscape of the music scene could become unrecognizable by next year.
The Daily Mail’s campaign against AI has garnered support from notable figures such as Sir Elton John and Simon Cowell. The former rockstar emphasizes the importance of maintaining copyright protection for artists, saying it is what drives economic growth and creates jobs in the UK’s creative sector.
A new anti-AI campaign, which includes contributions from over 1,000 artists, has released a “silent album” titled Is This What We Want? The album features recordings from prominent composers, singers, producers, and musicians, including Damon Albarn and Kate Bush. All profits from the album are being donated to charity Help Musicians.
Source: https://guitar.com/news/industry-news/brian-may-ai