More than 1,000 musicians, including Kate Bush and Cat Stevens, have taken a stand against Britain’s proposed copyright reforms—by making no sound at all. On Tuesday, they released a silent album to protest potential new laws that could let AI developers train their models on artists‘ work without permission.
More than 1,000 musicians, including Kate Bush and Cat Stevens, on Tuesday released a silent album to protest proposed changes to Britain’s copyright laws, which could grant tech companies the right to use their work for AI training. The global creative industry is already wrestling with the ethical and legal dilemmas of AI models that generate new content after being trained on existing works—often without compensating the original creators.
Britain, which Prime Minister Keir Starmer aims to establish as an AI superpower, is considering loosening laws that currently allow artists to control how their work is used. Under the proposed changes, AI firms could train their models on any legally accessible material, forcing creators to opt out rather than requiring companies to seek permission.
Artists have strongly opposed the move, arguing it overturns the foundation of copyright law, which gives them exclusive rights over their creations. “In the music of the future, will our voices go unheard?” asked Bush, whose 1985 hit Running Up That Hill saw a revival in 2022 thanks to Stranger Things.
Titled Is This What We Want?, the album features recordings of empty studios and silent performance spaces, symbolizing what artists fear could be the fate of their industry. A public consultation on the proposed law changes is set to close later on Tuesday.
Responding to the protest, a government spokesperson defended the proposals, saying the current copyright system was limiting the potential of creative industries, media, and AI. “We have engaged extensively with these sectors and will continue to do so. No decisions have been taken,” they said, adding that a formal policy announcement will follow.
Annie Lennox, Billy Ocean, Hans Zimmer, Tori Amos, and The Clash are among the many musicians urging the government to reconsider. “The government’s proposal would hand musicians’ life’s work to AI companies for free, letting them exploit artists’ creations to compete against them,” said Ed Newton-Rex, founder of Fairly Trained, a nonprofit advocating for ethical AI training.
“The UK can lead in AI without sacrificing its world-class creative industries.”