Dua Lipa, Sir Elton John, Sir Ian McKellen, Florence Welch, and over 400 other British musicians, writers, and artists have urged Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to update copyright laws to protect creators from the misuse of their work by artificial intelligence (AI). In a letter, they warn that without such protection, they would effectively be "giving away" their creations to tech companies, jeopardizing the UK’s status as a creative leader. The group calls for the Prime Minister to support an amendment to the Data (Use and Access) Bill requiring AI developers to be transparent with copyright owners regarding the use of their materials for training AI models. Notable signatories include author Kazuo Ishiguro, playwright David Hare, singers Kate Bush and Robbie Williams, along with Coldplay, Tom Stoppard, Richard Curtis, and Sir Paul McCartney, who previously expressed concerns about AI exploiting artists. The letter emphasizes that creative individuals are vital to the economy and culture, stating, "We are wealth creators. . . AI needs us as much as it needs energy and computer skills. " They advocate backing Baroness Beeban Kidron’s amendment, ahead of a crucial House of Lords vote, which seeks to enable both AI developers and creators to establish licensing systems ensuring the continued protection of human-generated content. However, not all agree. Julia Willemyns, co-founder of the Centre for British Progress think tank, argues such measures may restrict innovation and harm the UK’s economic growth by driving AI development offshore, while failing to prevent foreign firms from exploiting British creative content. Artists’ concerns have grown amid the rise of generative AI tools that produce new content using copyrighted material, raising issues about data consent and energy use.

In February, artists including Annie Lennox and Damon Albarn protested proposed government copyright changes by releasing a silent album. The government had considered allowing AI developers to use creators’ online content unless rights holders opt out, a move that faced backlash and reconsideration. Ishiguro criticized altering established laws to favor large corporations over individual creators and acknowledged limited progress, noting that the government now doubts the opt-out system’s viability and may launch a new consultation to find a fairer approach. He stressed the importance of getting the reforms right. Previously, MPs rejected a separate amendment by Baroness Kidron that sought to hold AI developers accountable under UK copyright law. She now supports transparency requirements to facilitate licensing agreements between creators and companies, asserting that such measures are crucial for the UK to secure a significant role in the international AI market. The government responded by emphasizing the need to carefully evaluate consultation responses and committed to publishing a report and economic impact assessment addressing the diverse issues and perspectives involved in the debate.