More than 1,000 musicians including Kate Bush, Annie Lennox, and Damon Albarn released a silent album titled “Is This What We Want?” to protest proposed changes to UK copyright laws that would allow AI companies to use their work without permission.
Why it matters: The protest comes as the UK government concludes its consultation on controversial copyright reforms that would permit tech companies to train AI models on copyrighted works unless creators explicitly opt out.
Creative Response: The silent album represents a powerful symbolic statement against the proposed legislation. The protest takes a creative approach to demonstrate musicians’ concerns about their future in an AI-dominated landscape:
- Features recordings of empty studios and performance spaces
- Includes 12 tracks with titles spelling out “The British government must not legalize music theft to benefit AI companies”
- All proceeds benefit the charity Help Musicians
Industry Impact: The proposed changes would fundamentally alter how creative works are protected in the UK. Musicians argue the shift from traditional “opt-in” copyright protection to an “opt-out” system for AI training would devastate their industry:
- Current law requires permission to use copyrighted works
- Proposed changes would allow AI companies to use works without consent
- Critics fear this could lead to AI-generated music replacing human artists
“The government’s proposal would hand the life’s work of the country’s musicians to AI companies, for free, letting those companies exploit musicians’ work to outcompete them,” said Ed Newton-Rex, according to Techspot, a composer and former AI executive who organized the album.
The protest has united artists across generations and genres, from rock legends like Paul McCartney and Elton John to contemporary stars. Many have signed open letters and participated in media campaigns highlighting the threat to creative industries.
The UK government maintains it aims to balance innovation with creator rights, stating it wants to “enable creators and right holders to exercise control over, and seek remuneration for, the use of their works for AI training” while ensuring “AI developers have easy access to a broad range of high-quality creative content.”
Looking ahead, the outcome of this consultation could set a precedent for how creative works are treated in the AI era, potentially influencing copyright approaches globally.
