Beatles legend Paul McCartney urges Uk government to not let AI 'rip off' artists

Beatles legend Paul McCartney has voiced concerns about artificial intelligence (AI) being used to "rip off" artists, calling on the British government to ensure upcoming copyright reforms protect the creative industry. The global music and film sectors are currently facing legal and ethical challenges as AI models generate content after training on popular works, often without compensating the original creators.

In December, Britain proposed a system for artists to license their work for AI training but also suggested an exception to allow large-scale AI use where rights were not explicitly reserved. In a recent BBC interview, McCartney warned that without proper protection, only tech companies would benefit. "AI is a great thing, but it shouldn't rip creative people off," he said. "Make sure you protect the creative thinkers, the creative artists, or you're not going to have them. As simple as that."

The government is consulting on copyright law changes to address uncertainties that could impact AI investment and innovation. McCartney, who previously used AI to recreate John Lennon's voice, cautioned that emerging artists could suffer. "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 explained.

He emphasized that revenue from AI-generated content should go to the original creators, stating, "The truth is, the money's going somewhere, you know, and it gets on the streaming platforms - somebody's getting it, and it should be the person who created it. It shouldn't just be some tech giant somewhere."

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