UK artists protest AI copyright law with silent album

A group of 1,000 musicians has released a 'silent album' to protest the UK government's proposed changes to copyright law, which would allow AI developers to train models on artists' online content without permission or payment unless creators opt out.

The album, titled 'Is This What We Want?', features tracks from artists such as Kate Bush, Imogen Heap, Max Richter, and Thomas Hewitt Jones, with co-writing credits from Annie Lennox, Damon Albarn, Billy Ocean, The Clash, Mystery Jets, Yusuf / Cat Stevens, Riz Ahmed, Tori Amos, and Hans Zimmer. Rather than music, the album consists of recordings of empty studios and performance spaces, symbolising the artists' concerns about the impact of the proposed law.

The 12 tracks spell out a direct message, 'The British government must not legalize music theft to benefit AI companies.'

The protest highlights growing opposition to the government's AI strategy, which aims to attract AI companies by easing restrictions on training data. Similar concerns have surfaced in other countries, including the US, where artists have raised alarms about AI training practices and their potential impact on creative industries.

Ed Newton-Rex, who organised the project, has also been leading a broader campaign against AI training without licensing. A petition he launched has gathered over 47,000 signatures from writers, visual artists, actors, and others in the creative industries, with nearly 10,000 joining in the five weeks following the government's AI announcement.

The UK government's plans form part of a wider effort to position the country as a global leader in AI, but the protest underscores ongoing tensions between technological advancement and artistic rights.