Paul McCartney has raised concerns about the economic risks facing artists and creators in the UK if copyright laws are modified to allow the use of protected content for training artificial intelligence models.
In an upcoming BBC interview, McCartney warned of a potential "loss of creativity" if creators lack financial incentives for their work. He stated, "You have young guys and girls writing beautiful songs and they don’t own them... Anyone can take them away."
McCartney emphasized that the revenue should go to the original creators, referencing his iconic song "Yesterday." He urged the UK government to protect artists, saying, "We are the people, you are the government. You are supposed to protect us; that is your job."
The UK government has launched a consultation regarding the use of copyrighted content for AI training, which will last until February 25, 2025, exploring ways to grow the AI industry while maintaining trust with the cultural sector.
In 2023, McCartney and fellow Beatle Ringo Starr released the song "Now and Then," utilizing AI to recreate the voice of the late John Lennon from a 1977 home recording.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has stated that any legal changes will aim to ensure artists can benefit financially and sustain their livelihoods.