Beatles legend Paul McCartney is among 400 figures from the arts and media who have signed a letter warning that changes to copyright law could threaten the future of the creative industries. The letter has been written to the Prime Minister urging him to protect the “lifeblood” of the industry and back proposals to protect copyright law.
The letter urges Sir Keir Starmer to back an amendment to the Data (Use and Access) Bill. This would require tech companies to be transparent about the creative content they use to train generative AI models and whether copyrighted work has been used.
This comes after the Bill passed its third reading in the Commons on Wednesday, with the Government resisting proposals to include changes relating to AI and copyright, with a vote due to take place in the House of Lords on Monday, May 12. Signatories to the letter include musicians, writers, producers and actors from across the creative industry in the UK.
Among them are Dua Lipa, Elton John, Doctor Who’s Russell T Davies, band Coldplay and singer Florence Welch. Conductor Simon Rattle and Liverpudlian writers Jimmy McGovern and Tony Schumacher are also among those to have signed the letter, as has publishing firm Liverpool University Press.
Robbie Williams also signed the letter alongside producer Mark Ronson, Scottish singer-songwriter Annie Lennox and dozens of arts and media organisations from across the UK.
The letter said: “Creative copyright is the lifeblood of the creative industries. It recognises the moral authority we have over our work and provides an income stream for 2.4 million people across the four nations of the United Kingdom.