Former Beatle Paul McCartney has voiced strong opposition to proposed changes in British copyright law that could allow artificial intelligence companies to use artists' work without permission for AI training purposes.
In a BBC interview, McCartney expressed deep concern about the government's plan to let AI developers access copyrighted content unless creators explicitly opt out. The 82-year-old music legend warned this could severely impact emerging artists' ability to make a living from their work.
"You get young guys, girls, coming up, and they write a beautiful song, and they don't own it, and they don't have anything to do with it. And anyone who wants can just rip it off," McCartney stated.
The proposed changes are part of the UK government's push to position Britain as a global AI leader. However, industry experts warn the "opt-out" system would be impractical for individual artists to manage across numerous AI platforms.
UK Music, representing the British music industry, has raised alarms about the risks. Chief Executive Tom Kiehl noted there is no evidence creators can effectively prevent AI systems from training on their work through an opt-out mechanism.
McCartney directly challenged the government's role, stating: "We're the people, you're the government! You're supposed to protect us. That's your job."
While the government maintains it aims to provide "real control" and transparency for creators while supporting AI innovation, McCartney and other artists argue the proposed changes could undermine the entire creative sector, which contributes over £120 billion to the UK economy.
The consultation on these copyright changes continues, with the government stating it will proceed only when confident of delivering clarity and control for artists while enabling appropriate AI development.