Paul McCartney says change in law over AI could ‘rip off’ artists | Artificial intelligence (AI)

Sir Paul McCartney has warned artificial intelligence could “rip off” artists if a proposed overhaul of copyright law goes ahead.

The proposals could remove the incentive for writers and artists and result in a “loss of creativity”, he told the BBC.

The use of copyrighted material to help train AI models is the subject of a newly launched government consultation.

McCartney, one of the two surviving members of the Beatles, said: “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.”

“The truth is, the money’s going somewhere … Somebody’s getting paid, so why shouldn’t it be the guy who sat down and wrote Yesterday?”

A lack of clarity around whether it is right and fair that copyright material be used to train the models that are powering the latest wave of AI tools has led to debate around the world, with legal cases launched by companies and individuals in the creative industries over what they argue is unlicensed use of their material.

In contrast, some publishing organisations and media outlets have signed licensing deals with AI companies to allow them to use their material to train such models.

It is not the first time McCartney has raised fears about the threat AI could pose to the arts. In December, he warned AI could “just take over” and joined the actors Julianne Moore, Stephen Fry and Hugh Bonneville in signing a petition, which states the “unlicensed use of creative works for training generative AI is a major, unjust threat to the livelihoods of the people behind those works, and must not be permitted”.

The novelist Kate Mosse has backed a parallel campaign for amendments to the data bill that would allow the enforcement of the UK’s existing copyright law, meaning creators could negotiate for fair payment when licensing their material.

The government said it would use the consultation, which runs until 25 February, to explore key points of the debate, including how to improve trust between the creative and AI sectors, and how creators can license and be remunerated for the use of their material.

McCartney appealed to the government to rethink the plans. “We’re the people, you’re the government. You’re supposed to protect us. That’s your job,” he said.

“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.”

In November 2023, McCartney and Sir Ringo Starr created the song Now And Then using AI technology to separate John Lennon’s vocals from a home demo recorded in 1977.

The culture secretary, Lisa Nandy, said last year: “This government firmly believes that our musicians, writers, artists and other creatives should have the ability to know and control how their content is used by AI firms and be able to seek licensing deals and fair payment.

“Achieving this, and ensuring legal certainty, will help our creative and AI sectors grow and innovate together in partnership.”