The U.K. government is under fire from music legend Elton John, who has branded proposed AI copyright changes as “criminal” and accused officials of “committing theft” from artists.
“The danger is for young artists, they haven’t got the resources to keep checking or fight big tech,” John said in a BBC interview on Sunday. “It’s criminal and I feel incredibly betrayed.”
John’s statements come in response to a controversial proposal that would ease copyright laws in the country, allowing AI developers to train models on any creative works they have lawful access to.
Should the government proceed with the plans allowing AI firms to use artists’ content without paying, they would be “committing theft, thievery on a high scale,” the music legend said.
The U.K.’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Concerns around artist permission and compensation guarantees have brought John alongside an alliance of artists to gather support in an open letter to help warn of how the government’s planned changes could affect creators.
The artists are calling on Prime Minister Keir Starmer to back amendments filed by Baroness Beeban Kidron over the so-called Data (Use and Access) Bill, citing an urgent need for “transparency over the copyright works ingested by AI models.”
The open letter was signed by notable figures like Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, Kazuo Ishiguro, Ed Sheeran, and Dua Lipa, along with over 400 signatories from groups including the National Union of Journalists, Getty Images, and Sony Music Publishing.
The Data Bill is part of a broader initiative dubbed the “AI Opportunities Action Plan,” a proposal that sets forth recommendations to bolster the U.K.’s AI sector, focusing on infrastructure expansion, public service integration, and cultivating homegrown AI talent.
The Labour government is attempting to solidify its position and “shape the AI revolution rather than wait to see how it shapes us,” Peter Kyle, Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, wrote in the proposal.
The government estimates AI could boost U.K. productivity by up to 1.5% annually, potentially adding £47 billion (US$62.5 billion) annually to the economy if fully realized.
Last week, disagreements over the bill raised concerns about whether AI companies should disclose the data used for training models, as legislators pushed for stricter rules to help creators determine if their work was scraped.
However, the House of Commons has rejected certain amendments proposed by the House of Lords, including those requiring AI firms to obtain permission before using copyrighted materials.
Edited by Sebastian Sinclair
