More than 400 leading British artists, including Sir Elton John, Dua Lipa, Sir Ian McKellen and author Kazuo Ishiguro, have signed an open letter urging Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to strengthen copyright protections in the age of artificial intelligence.

The letter warns that without legislative updates, artists risk "giving away" their creative work to tech firms developing AI systems. It stresses that the UK’s global reputation as a creative leader could be undermined without immediate government action.

The coalition is backing an amendment to the Data (Use and Access) Bill proposed by Baroness Beeban Kidron, which would require AI developers to be transparent with rights holders about the use of copyrighted materials for training algorithms. A vote in the House of Lords is scheduled for Monday.

"We are wealth creators, storytellers, and innovators—AI needs us as much as it needs energy and data," the letter states. Among the signatories are Coldplay, Robbie Williams, Florence Welch, playwright Tom Stoppard, and filmmaker Richard Curtis.

A government spokesperson said the UK is consulting on a package of measures aimed at balancing the interests of both creators and the tech sector. “No changes will be made unless we’re fully confident they support creators,” they said.

However, some tech policy advocates argue the proposed restrictions could harm the UK’s AI industry. Julia Willemyns, co-founder of the Centre for British Progress, warned that a tougher copyright regime could drive innovation overseas and damage the UK economy.

The artists’ campaign comes amid growing concerns over AI-generated content and the use of copyrighted works in training data. In February, artists including Annie Lennox and Damon Albarn protested the government’s approach by releasing a silent album.

Baroness Kidron said her amendment offers a pathway for fair licensing agreements that ensure long-term protections for human-created content.

Source: BBC

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