PAUL McCARTNEY AND ELTON JOHN'S STAND AGAINST AI

The Power of Influential Voices

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McCartney's intervention, joined by fellow music legend Elton John, demonstrates the crucial role that heavyweight artists can play in defending creative rights. Their collective voice has:

• Drawn international attention to the risks of unregulated AI
• Mobilized a coalition of artists including Kate Bush and Thom Yorke
• Challenged proposed copyright changes that could harm emerging musicians

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Mr. McCartney's article seems to have made an impact as after his article came out Baroness Kidron has done the UK's creative industries an extraordinary service by convincing the House of Lords to approve her amendments to the Data (Use and Access) Bill Jan 29th 2025.

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Among other things, these amendments will require overseas generative AI companies to respect UK copyright law if they sell their products in the UK. (As a reminder, it is illegal to train commercial generative AI models on copyrighted work without a licence in the UK.)

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What's astonishing is that her amendments passed despite Labour peers reportedly being whipped to vote against them, and the Conservatives largely abstaining. Essentially, Labour voted against the amendments, and everyone else who voted voted to protect copyright holders.

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This should give you some sense of the strength of feeling over the government's plans to upend copyright law to favour AI companies.The bill still has to go through the Commons. But, as it stands, it would require generative AI companies selling their products in the UK to license any copyrighted training data they use.

The Need for Continued Advocacy

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The music industry desperately needs more influential artists like McCartney to stand up and protect the ecosystem that nurtures creativity. Young musicians are particularly vulnerable, facing unprecedented challenges from technological disruption. By using their platforms, established artists can:

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• Raise awareness about systemic threats to creative industries
• Pressure governments to implement robust protective legislation
• Inspire a collective movement defending artistic integrity

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The message is clear: technology should enhance, not replace, human creativity. As he eloquently stated, "We're the people, you're the government. You're supposed to protect us." The music world needs more champions willing to fight for the rights of artists at every stage of their careers, ensuring that passion, originality, and fair compensation remain at the heart of musical creation.

Watch: Paul McCartney on the risks the next generation of musicians face:

BBC: Paul McCartney: Don't let AI rip off artists

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