1,000 Artists Release 'Silent' Album To Protest UK Copyright Sell-Out To AI - Slashdot
Feb 25, 2025 - news.slashdot.org
The U.K. government is advancing plans to amend copyright laws to allow AI developers to train models using artists' content from the internet without needing permission or payment, unless creators opt out. This proposal has sparked opposition from the music community, with 1,000 musicians releasing a "silent album" titled "Is This What We Want?" as a form of protest. The album features contributions from artists like Kate Bush, Imogen Heap, and Hans Zimmer, and consists of recordings of empty studios and performance spaces, symbolizing the perceived negative impact of the proposed changes.
The protest highlights concerns that the new law would equate to legalized music theft to benefit AI companies. Artists involved in the protest, such as Thomas Hewitt Jones, are considering distributing their work in markets with stronger protections, like Switzerland. The silent album's track titles collectively convey a message urging the British government not to proceed with the proposed legal changes.
Key takeaways:
The U.K. government plans to change copyright law to allow AI training on artists' content without permission or payment, unless creators opt out.
A group of 1,000 musicians released a "silent album" titled "Is This What We Want?" to protest the planned copyright changes.
The album features recordings of empty studios and performance spaces, symbolizing the perceived negative impact of the copyright law changes.
Artists are considering distributing their work in markets with better protections, like Switzerland, as a response to the proposed changes.
