Elton John Condemns UK's AI Copyright Plans as 'Criminal' Theft of Creative Work

'Criminal': Elton John condemns UK's AI copyright plans

LONDON, May 18 (Reuters) - Elton John on Sunday accused the British government of "committing theft" by proposing that tech firms could train artificial intelligence models on the UK's music and creative output without guaranteeing proper recompense. Creative industries globally are grappling with the legal and ethical implications of AI models that can produce their own work after being trained on existing material. Britain, which Prime Minister Keir Starmer wants to become an AI superpower, has proposed relaxing copyright laws to allow AI developers to train their models on any material to which they have lawful access. The proposal would require creators to proactively opt out to stop their work being used. The biggest names in the industry, including John, Paul McCartney, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Ed Sheeran and others, have urged the government to change course, saying the proposal will make it even harder for young people to make a living in the creative industries. "The danger is for young artists, they haven't got the resources to keep checking or fight big tech," John told the BBC. "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," he said. John has sold more than 300 million records over a six-decade career. A supporter of Starmer's Labour Party, he said he had always sought to support young artists and would continue to fight against the changes. The government says it is seeking a solution that will enable creative industries and AI companies to flourish. It said on Sunday it was consulting on measures, would publish an assessment on the economic impact of any move, and will not sign off on anything unless it is "completely satisfied they work for creators". Britain has long outperformed in the creative industries, with thousands employed in sectors including theatre, film, advertising, publishing and music. Reporting by Kate Holton; editing by Barbara Lewis Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab Suggested Topics:Media & Telecom

Elton John brands government 'absolute losers' over AI copyright plans

He said if the government does not change its plans, he would be ready to take ministers to court, saying that "we'll fight it all the way". Speaking alongside the 78-year-old, playwright James Graham said ministers "do understand the value of creativity... but what's frustrating is either the complacency or the willingness to let Silicon Valley tech bros get it all their own way". The chief executive of UK music, Tom Kiehl, told the BBC that the government is "on the brink" of offering up the country's music industry "as a sacrificial lamb in its efforts to cosy up to American-based tech giants". He added that the prime minister "must not sell" the next generation of singers, songwriters, musicians, and music creators "down the river and allow all that talent to be crushed by letting soulless AI bots plunder their work". Ahead of the vote in the House of Lords, Sir Elton joined more than 400 British musicians, writers, and artists in signing a letter calling on the prime minister to update copyright laws in a way that protects them from artificial intelligence. Beatles singer Sir Paul McCartney, who also signed the letter, previously told the BBC there was a risk AI would create a "Wild West" in which artists' copyright was not properly protected. A government spokesperson said it wants the UK's creative industries and AI companies to "flourish, which is why we're consulting on a package of measures that we hope will work for both sectors". The spokesperson said it was "vital" the government worked through responses to a consultation on proposals to allow developers to use creators' content unless rights holders elected to "opt out". They added that it was "equally important that we put in the groundwork now as we consider the next steps". "That is why we have committed to publishing a report and economic impact assessment - exploring the broad range of issues and options on all sides of the debate."

Elton John says UK government being 'absolute losers' over AI copyright plans

Songwriter says he thinks it is a 'criminal offence' to let tech firms use protected work without permission Sir Elton John has called the UK government "absolute losers" over proposals to let tech firms use copyright-protected work without permission. The songwriter said it was a "criminal offence" to change copyright law in favour of artificial intelligence companies. In an interview on the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, John said the government was on course to "rob young people of their legacy and their income", adding: "It's a criminal offence, I think. The government are just being absolute losers, and I'm very angry about it|. John described the technology secretary, Peter Kyle, as a "bit of a moron" and said he would take ministers to court if the government did not change its plans on copyright. Last week Kyle was accused of being too close to big tech after analysis showed a sharp increase in his department's meetings with companies such as Google, Amazon, Apple and Meta since Labour won the election. John spoke ahead of a House of Lords vote on a proposal from the crossbench peer Beeban Kidron that will require AI companies to disclose their use of copyright-protected content, giving creative professionals leverage to seek licensing agreements for use of their material. John referred to a similar amendment that received peers' support last week, only to be removed by the government in the commons, in a tit-for-tat process that threatens to mire the data bill - the vehicle for Lords' protests against government copyright proposals - in a game of legislative back-and-forth between the Houses of Parliament. "It's criminal, in that I feel incredibly betrayed: the House of Lords did a vote, and it was more than two to one in our favour, the government just looked at it as if to say: 'Hmmm, well the old people ... like me can afford it," said John. The government is consulting on a proposal that will allow AI firms to train their models - the technology that underpins products such as chatbots - on copyrighted work without permission, unless the copyright holder signals they do not want their work to be used. A source close to Kyle has said this is no longer the preferred option in the consultation, although it remains on the table. The other options are: to leave the situation unchanged; to require AI companies to seek licences for using copyrighted work; and to allow AI firms to use copyrighted work with no opt-out for creative professionals. A government spokesperson said no changes to copyright would be considered unless "we are completely satisfied they work for creators". The spokesperson added that a recent government commitment to draw up an economic impact assessment of the proposals would explore "the broad range of issues and options on all sides of the debate".

Elton John calls Labour 'absolute losers' over AI

Sir Elton John has called the Government "absolute losers" over its plans to regulate AI. The singer, 78, described one Cabinet minister as a "bit of a moron" for not forcing tech companies to disclose which content they are using to train artificial intelligence (AI) models. Hundreds of news and creative organisations, including The Telegraph, backed a campaign to make the AI development process more transparent. Sir Elton said the companies were "committing theft, thievery, on a high scale". Speaking on the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme, he said he felt "incredibly betrayed" by the Government and alluded to taking legal action. This week, ministers rejected an amendment to the Government's Data Bill, which was proposed by Baroness Kidron, to force companies to notify copyright holders if their work is used to train generative AI models. Creatives such as Robbie Williams and Dame Shirley Bassey have argued that without the "transparency" clause, their content would effectively be stolen. Sir Elton warned that the Government is on course to "rob young people of their legacy and their income", adding that Sir Keir Starmer and his Cabinet were "just being absolute losers... about it". He said the Prime Minister needed to "wise up" and singled out Peter Kyle, the Tech Secretary, as "a bit of a moron". "We'll fight it all the way," he said, indicating that he and other artists would take legal action.

Elton John Slams UK AI Copyright Plan as 'Criminal' Theft of Creative Work - Decrypt

The plan would require creators to opt out instead of companies seeking permission. 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.

'Criminal': Elton John condemns UK's AI copyright plans

Elton John has criticised the British government's AI training proposal. He says it allows tech firms to use creative work without proper compensation. John calls it 'theft' and worries about its impact on young artists. Other prominent figures like Paul McCartney also oppose the plan. The government claims it seeks a solution benefiting both creative industries and AI companies.Elton John on Sunday accused the British government of "committing theft" by proposing that tech firms could train artificial intelligence models on the UK's music and creative output without guaranteeing proper recompense. Creative industries globally are grappling with the legal and ethical implications of AI models that can produce their own work after being trained on existing material. Britain, which Prime Minister Keir Starmer wants to become an AI superpower, has proposed relaxing copyright laws to allow AI developers to train their models on any material to which they have lawful access. The proposal would require creators to proactively opt out to stop their work being used. The biggest names in the industry, including John, Paul McCartney, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Ed Sheeran and others, have urged the government to change course, saying the proposal will make it even harder for young people to make a living in the creative industries. "The danger is for young artists, they haven't got the resources to keep checking or fight big tech," John told the BBC. "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," he said. John has sold more than 300 million records over a six-decade career. A supporter of Starmer's Labour Party, he said he had always sought to support young artists and would continue to fight against the changes. The government says it is seeking a solution that will enable creative industries and AI companies to flourish. It said on Sunday it was consulting on measures, would publish an assessment on the economic impact of any move, and will not sign off on anything unless it is "completely satisfied they work for creators". Britain has long outperformed in the creative industries, with thousands employed in sectors including theatre, film, advertising, publishing and music.

Elton John Calls U.K. Government 'Absolute Losers' Over A.I. Copyright Plans

Ed Sheeran Previews Collaboration With Dave Grohl, John Mayer Elton John spoke out about the U.K. government's plans to let tech companies use copyright-protected work without permission. Appearing on BBC One's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg over the weekend, John noted that the strategy would "rob young people of their legacy and their income." "It's a criminal offense, I think," John said. "The government are just being absolute losers, and I'm very angry about it." He added that Peter Kyle, the technology secretary, is a "bit of a moron" and noted that he would take ministers to court if the government did not change its course, saying, "We'll fight it all the way." John added that he felt that prime minister Keir Starmer needed to "wise up." Starmer has proposed relaxing copyright laws to allow A.I. developers to train their models on any material to which they have lawful access. The proposal would require creators to proactively opt out to stop their work being used. Recently, the government dismissed House of Lords proposals that would have required A.I. companies to disclose the creative material used in developing their systems. "The danger is for young artists, they haven't got the resources to keep checking or fight big tech," John added. "It's criminal and I feel incredibly betrayed." Earlier this month, John was among the over 400 artists who signed a letter calling on Starmer to update copyright laws in the face of A.I. technology. The letter was also signed by Paul McCartney, Dua Lipa, Coldplay, Ed Sheeran, and Florence Welch, among others. "We, along with 400 other creatives, have signed and sent this letter to the Prime Minister, urging him to give Government support to proposals that would protect copyright in the age of AI," John wrote on social media. The letter noted, "Creative copyright is the lifeblood of the creative industries. It recognizes 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. 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." McCartney similar spoke up in a BBC interview earlier this year. "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."