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British musician and icon Sir Elton John has slammed the UK government for announcing plans to potentially allow tech and AI companies to train their models on UK music and creative works without a guarantee of compensation.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has proposed loosening copyright laws to allow AI developers to use whatever content they have lawful access to, in an effort to make the UK a global AI leader.
As part of the plan, creators would be required to actively opt out to prevent AI firms training their models on their content. The UK government also recently dismissed requests by the House of Lords to require AI firms to disclose what creative material they were using to train their models.
Speaking with the BBC, Elton John says he feels “betrayed” by the current government and prime minister, who he has otherwise been a supporter of.
“The government are just being absolute losers, and I’m very angry about it,” he said.
“The danger is for young artists, they haven’t got the resources to keep checking or fight big tech. It’s criminal and I feel incredibly betrayed.
“A machine ... doesn’t have a soul, doesn’t have a heart, it doesn’t have human feeling, it doesn’t have passion. Human beings, when they create something, are doing it ... to bring pleasure to lots of people.”
Elton John has been a longtime supporter of young creatives and artists, and was one of 400 artists alongside Dua Lipa, Ed Sheeran, Florence Welch, Coldplay, and Paul McCartney, to sign a letter calling for the Starmer government to update copyright laws
“We’re the people, you’re the government. You’re supposed to protect us. That’s your job,” McCartney said.
“So if you’re putting through a bill, make sure you protect the creative thinkers, the creative artists, or you’re not gonna have them. If there’s such a thing as a government, it’s their responsibility – I would think – to protect young people to try and enhance that whole thing so it works. So that these people have got job and can enhance the world with wonderful art.”
The letter says that while the artists are not against the technology, it stresses that copyright is what allows creatives to own their work and make a living.
“Creative copyright is the lifeblood of the creative industries. It recognises the moral authority we have over our work and provides an income stream for 2.4 million people across the four nations of the United Kingdom. The fight to defend our creative industries has been joined by scores of UK businesses, including those who use and develop AI. We are not against progress or innovation,” read the letter.
“The creative industries have always been early adopters of technology. Indeed, many of the world’s greatest inventions, from the lightbulb to AI itself, have been a result of UK creative minds grappling with technology.”
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