Legendary musician Paul McCartney has issued a stark warning regarding proposed amendments to UK copyright law, which could grant tech companies unrestricted access to online content for training their models, unless copyright holders actively choose to opt out.
In a BBC interview, McCartney emphasized the government’s responsibility to safeguard the rights of creators, stressing that their role is to protect artists and creative professionals. “We’re the people, you’re the government! You’re supposed to protect us. That’s your job. So if you’re passing a bill, make sure you’re defending the creative minds or you’ll lose them,” McCartney declared.
While McCartney does not oppose AI’s use in music creation — having used it himself to enhance an old John Lennon demo, which he called “the last Beatles record” — he voiced concern about the economic implications of AI’s growing influence in the industry. According to McCartney, the lack of copyright control could lead to young songwriters losing ownership of their work.
He pointed out that emerging artists might create exceptional songs without retaining any rights to them, leaving them vulnerable to exploitation. “They write a beautiful song, but they don’t own it, and anyone can just take it,” he remarked.
McCartney also expressed frustration over the financial flow within the industry, suggesting that while the rewards for successful music should benefit the creators, too often they end up in the pockets of tech companies rather than the artists themselves. “The money’s going somewhere,” he said, underscoring the importance of fair compensation for musicians.
The proposed changes, which are still under consideration, could have profound implications for the future of music and copyright law, potentially altering how content is protected in the digital age.
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