Hundreds of prominent figures and organisations from the UK’s creative industries—including Coldplay, Paul McCartney, Dua Lipa, Ian McKellen, and the Royal Shakespeare Company—have called on Prime Minister Keir Starmer to protect artists’ copyright and resist demands from big tech to “give our work away. ” In an open letter, these major artists warn that their livelihoods are at risk amid ongoing government negotiations over a plan allowing AI companies to use copyright-protected material without permission. The letter describes copyright as the “lifeblood” of their professions and cautions that the proposed legal changes could undermine Britain’s position as a global creative leader. It states: “We will lose an immense growth opportunity if we give our work away at the behest of a handful of powerful overseas tech companies and with it our future income, the UK’s position as a creative powerhouse, and any hope that the technology of daily life will embody the values and laws of the United Kingdom. ” The group urges the government to accept an amendment to the data bill proposed by Beeban Kidron, a cross-bench peer and campaigner opposing the copyright proposals. Kidron’s amendment would require AI firms to disclose which copyrighted works they use in training their models. The letter calls on parliamentarians across political lines to support this change, emphasizing: “Our work is not yours to give away. ” The 400-plus signatories represent genres from music, theatre, film, literature, art, and media, including Elton John, Kazuo Ishiguro, Annie Lennox, Rachel Whiteread, Jeanette Winterson, the National Theatre, and the News Media Association, representing over 800 news titles such as the Guardian. Kidron’s amendment will be voted on Monday in the House of Lords, though the government has expressed opposition, preferring an ongoing consultation process to discuss copyright law changes that prevent unauthorized use of creators’ work. Under the current government plan, AI companies could use copyrighted material unless copyright holders “opt out” via an unspecified mechanism. Giles Martin, music producer and son of Beatles producer George Martin, criticized the opt-out scheme as potentially impractical, especially for emerging artists.

Martin said, “When Paul McCartney wrote Yesterday, his first thought was ‘how do I record this’ and not ‘how do I stop someone stealing this. ’” Kidron emphasized that the signatories seek to secure a positive future for upcoming creators and innovators. Supporters argue the amendment guarantees creatives receive compensation through licensing when their work is used to train AI models. Generative AI—the technology behind tools like ChatGPT and the Suno music-making app—requires vast amounts of data, often sourced online from platforms such as Wikipedia, YouTube, news articles, and online books. The government has proposed an amendment to the data bill for officials to conduct an economic impact assessment of its plans. A source near Technology Secretary Peter Kyle revealed the opt-out strategy is no longer his preferred choice. Currently, four options are under consideration: maintain the status quo; require AI companies to obtain licenses for copyrighted work; allow use of copyrighted work with no opt-out; or the opt-out approach. A government spokesperson acknowledged the issues, stating: “Uncertainty over how our copyright framework operates is holding back growth for our AI and creative industries. That cannot continue, but we’re clear that no changes will be considered unless we are completely satisfied they work for creators. ”