Dua Lipa, Sir Elton John, Sir Ian McKellen and Florence Welch are among a list of stars calling on the prime minister to update copyright laws in a way that protects them from artificial intelligence.
A letter signed by more than 400 British musicians, writers and artists, addressed to Sir Keir Starmer, says failing to give that protection would mean them “giving away” their work to tech firms.
Elton John and Dua Lipa, along with over 400 prominent UK artists and creatives, have united to urge the British government to strengthen copyright protections against the unauthorized use of their work by artificial intelligence (AI) companies. They have signed an open letter addressed to Prime Minister Keir Starmer, advocating for an amendment to the Data (Use and Access) Bill. This amendment, proposed by Baroness Beeban Kidron, would require AI developers to disclose which copyrighted materials—such as music, books, and films—have been used to train their models.
The artists express concern that the current government proposal, which allows AI companies to use copyrighted material unless creators opt out, could lead to widespread exploitation of creative works without proper compensation. They argue that this approach threatens the livelihoods of creators and undermines the UK’s position as a global leader in the creative industries. While the proposed amendment was recently defeated in the House of Commons, it is set for another vote in the House of Lords. The government has indicated that it will not modify the law unless the measures proposed benefit creators and continues to consult with the sector.
This collective action by artists underscores the growing tension between technological advancement in AI and the protection of intellectual property rights, highlighting the need for transparent and fair regulations that safeguard the interests of creators.
Elton John emphasized that adopting such a copyright exception would “destroy the UK’s leadership that has been hard won,” warning that it would grant big tech companies free access to artists’ work to train AI, thereby diluting and threatening young artists’ earnings
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