Paul McCartney Urges British Government to Protect Artists’ Rights in AI Consultation
Sir Paul McCartney has warned the British government not to weaken copyright laws, which he believes would allow artificial intelligence companies to rip off artists without proper compensation. The government is currently consulting on whether to allow tech firms to use copyrighted material to train AI models unless the creators opt out.
In an interview with the BBC, the 82-year-old former Beatle expressed his concerns, saying, “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.” He argued that this would make it harder for artists to retain control over their work and undermine Britain’s creative industries.
The British government, led by the center-left Labour Party, is seeking to position the UK as a world leader in AI. However, McCartney and the Creative Rights in AI Coalition, which includes publishers, artists’ organizations, and media companies, are opposed to weakening copyright protections.
“We’re the people, you’re the government. You’re supposed to protect us. That’s your job,” McCartney stressed. “So you know, if you’re putting through a bill, make sure you protect the creative thinkers, the creative artists, or you’re not going to have them.”
