Artists Release Silent Album to Protest AI’s Use of Their Work
More than 1,000 musicians, including Annie Lennox, Damon Albarn, and Kate Bush, released a silent album on Tuesday in protest of the UK government’s proposed changes to copyright law. The musicians argue that the changes would make it easier for AI companies to use copyrighted work without permission to train their models.
The new proposals would allow AI developers to use content available online to help develop their models, unless the rights holders actively “opt out.”
The artists behind the album, titled Is This What We Want?, hope to raise awareness of the potential consequences on both creators’ livelihoods and the UK music industry. All proceeds from the album will be donated to the charity Help Musicians.
Kate Bush, in a statement, expressed concern, saying, “In the music of the future, will our voices go unheard?”
The album also features contributions from Billy Ocean, Ed O’Brien of Radiohead, Dan Smith of Bastille, The Clash, Mystery Jets, and Jamiroquai. It includes recordings of empty studios and performance spaces, symbolizing what the artists fear could be the future of the industry if the law changes. The tracklist’s message is clear: “The British government must not legalise music theft to benefit AI companies.”
The UK government is currently consulting on proposals that would allow AI companies to use publicly available material online for text and data mining, bypassing copyright protections. These generative AI programs use vast amounts of data, like text, images, or music, to create new content that mimics human-made work.
Under the new proposals, creators would be given a “rights reservation,” allowing them to opt out of having their work used in this manner. However, critics argue that it would be nearly impossible for individual artists to notify every AI provider and monitor their work’s usage across the internet.
A spokesman from the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) addressed the issue, stating, “The UK’s current regime for copyright and AI is holding back the creative industries, media, and AI sector from realising their full potential—and that cannot continue.”
They added, “That’s why we have been consulting on a new approach that protects both AI developers and rights holders, ensuring both can thrive. No decisions have been made, and we will not move forward until we are absolutely confident we have a practical solution.”
The public consultation on the proposed legal changes is set to close later on Tuesday
“Devastating for Musicians”
Damon Albarn of Blur and Gorillaz has shown his support for the silent album protest, alongside notable figures such as Imogen Heap, Yusuf (aka Cat Stevens), Riz Ahmed, Tori Amos, and Hans Zimmer.Composer Max Richter, also part of the album, emphasized that the proposed changes would not only affect musicians but also “impoverish creators” across various fields, from writers to visual artists.In 2023, the UK music industry contributed a record £7.6 billion to the economy.Ed Newton-Rex, the organizer of the silent album, expressed that the proposals were not only “disastrous for musicians” in the UK but also “totally unnecessary,” pointing out that the country could lead in AI innovation without undermining its world-renowned creative industries.He added that the silent album demonstrated that “no matter how the government tries to justify it, musicians are united in their strong condemnation of this poorly thought-out plan.”Singer-songwriter Naomi Kimpenu echoed these sentiments, stating, “We cannot be abandoned by the government and have our work stolen for the profit of big tech.” She warned that the proposals could “shatter the prospects of so many emerging artists in the UK.”In January, Sir Paul McCartney told the MULTINATIONAL that the proposed changes to copyright law could lead to “rip-off” technology that might make it impossible for musicians and artists to earn a living.Several national newspapers featured ads promoting the Make It Fair Campaign, underscoring the call for action.
On Tuesday, national newspapers featured wraparound ads for the Make It Fair Campaign.
In a letter to The Times published on Monday, signatories such as Sir Paul McCartney, Lord Lloyd Webber, and Sir Stephen Fry expressed concern that changes to the law would allow big tech companies to exploit the creative industries. They were joined in opposition by artists like Kate Bush, Ed Sheeran, Dua Lipa, and Sting, who all criticized the proposed changes to copyright laws.
On Tuesday, the UK’s creative industries launched the Make It Fair campaign to raise awareness about how their work is at risk of being used for free by AI companies. The campaign, which includes full-page ads in national newspapers, encourages people to contact their MPs to oppose the government’s proposed plans.