UK Musicians Protest AI Copyright Law Changes with 'Silent Album'
The UK government's plan to allow AI companies to train models on artists' online content without permission is facing major backlash. A group of 1000 musicians, including big names like Kate Bush, Damon Albarn, and Hans Zimmer, released a "silent album," "Is This What We Want?", featuring recordings of empty studios. The album's track titles spell out a protest message against the proposed law changes, highlighting the concerns of artists whose work could be used without consent or compensation. A petition against the proposed law, started by Ed Newton-Rex, has garnered over 47,000 signatures. Newton-Rex, a former AI music platform creator, argues that the proposed "opt-out" system is ineffective and will leave the vast majority of artists' work vulnerable to exploitation. Artists are considering moving their work to markets with stronger copyright protections. The situation underscores the global tension between AI development and artists' rights.
Source: TechCrunch