1,000 Artists Protest AI Copyright with 'Silent' Album

U.K. Copyright Law Changes Spark Artist Protest

The United Kingdom’s government is actively pursuing strategies to incentivize AI firms to establish operations within the region, and a key component of this plan involves alterations to existing copyright legislation. The proposed revisions would permit the utilization of artists’ online content for training AI models, without requiring prior authorization or remuneration, unless creators explicitly choose to exclude their work.

A "Silent Album" of Protest

A collective of 1,000 musicians voiced their opposition on Monday through the release of a unique protest album. Entitled “Is This What We Want?”, the album features contributions from renowned artists such as Kate Bush, Imogen Heap, Max Richter, and Thomas Hewitt Jones.

The project also boasts co-writing credits from a diverse range of prominent figures, including Annie Lennox, Damon Albarn, Billy Ocean, members of The Clash and Mystery Jets, Yusuf / Cat Stevens, Riz Ahmed, Tori Amos, and Hans Zimmer.

Symbolism Over Sound

This initiative diverges significantly from traditional musical collaborations. Rather than presenting a collection of songs, the artists have compiled recordings of unoccupied studios and performance venues.

This serves as a symbolic representation of the potential consequences they foresee resulting from the proposed changes to copyright law.

The Sound of Silence

Hewitt Jones described his contribution as capturing the ambient sounds of his workspace. “One can discern the movements of my cats,” he explained, “as they frequently disrupt my work within the studio.”

A Message Encoded in Tracks

The album’s 12 tracks are deliberately titled to convey a direct message: “The British government must not legalize music theft to benefit AI companies.” The album is available for listening online.

A Global Concern

This album release represents the latest effort in the U.K. to raise awareness regarding the handling of copyright within the context of AI training. Parallel protests are occurring in other nations, including the U.S., underscoring a widespread concern among artists globally.

Campaigning for Licensing

Ed Newton-Rex, the organizer of this project, is simultaneously spearheading a broader campaign advocating for AI training to be conducted under licensing agreements. A petition initiated by him has garnered over 47,000 signatures from writers, visual artists, actors, and other creative professionals.

Nearly 10,000 signatures were added within the past five weeks, following the U.K. government’s announcement of its comprehensive AI strategy.

A Nonprofit Approach

Newton-Rex also leads a nonprofit organization dedicated to certifying companies that refrain from scraping and utilizing copyrighted material for AI training without obtaining proper permission.

From Composer to Advocate

Newton-Rex’s advocacy for artists stems from a unique background. Initially trained as a composer, he subsequently developed an AI-powered music composition platform named Jukedeck.

Jukedeck enabled users to create original music without infringing on existing copyrights, and it achieved recognition by winning the TechCrunch Startup Battlefield competition in 2015. The platform was later acquired by TikTok, where Newton-Rex contributed to music-related services.

Building the Future Responsibly

Having gained experience at other technology companies like Snap and Stability, Newton-Rex is now focused on shaping the future of technology while respecting the contributions of the past.

He currently resides in the Bay Area with his wife, Alice Newton-Rex, who serves as the VP of product at WhatsApp.

The Opt-Out Dilemma

The impending changes to U.K. copyright law would necessitate artists who wish to prevent their work from being used for AI training to proactively “opt out.”

Newton-Rex argues that this approach creates a disadvantageous situation for artists, as a functional opt-out mechanism is currently lacking, and there is no transparent method for tracking the specific materials utilized in AI systems.

Ineffective Opt-Out Schemes

“Opt-out schemes are demonstrably ineffective,” he stated. “This will inevitably result in 90% to 95% of artists’ work being accessible to AI companies without their consent.”

Seeking Protective Markets

The artists propose that a viable solution lies in distributing their work in jurisdictions that offer stronger copyright protections. Hewitt Jones, who previously staged a protest by discarding a keyboard into a harbor (later retrieving it), is contemplating Switzerland as a potential market for his music.

The Internet's Wild West

However, the challenges presented by the internet’s vastness outweigh even the difficulties of a physical protest.

A Shift in Sharing Practices

“For years, we have been encouraged to share our work online to increase visibility,” Newton-Rex explained. “Now, AI companies and even governments are asserting that this online presence constitutes free access.”

Consequently, many artists are reconsidering their willingness to share their creations, with several informing Newton-Rex of their intention to cease doing so.

Album Release and Proceeds

The album is scheduled for widespread release on music platforms on Tuesday, with any donations or revenue generated being directed to the charity Help Musicians.