1,000 Musicians Release Silent Album to Protest AI Copyright Law

More than 1,000 musicians, including Kate Bush, Annie Lennox, Imogen Heap, Billy Ocean, and Riz Ahmed, have released a silent album to protest proposed changes to UK copyright law. The artists fear the changes will allow AI companies to use their work to train models without permission unless they proactively opt out.

Credit: GETTY

Titled "Is This What We Want?" the album consists of tracks filled with ambient sounds from empty studios and performance spaces. The project aims to highlight the potential impact of the proposed law on musicians' livelihoods.

The album was organised by composer and technologist Ed Newton-Rex. It comes amid growing concerns among artists about the rapid rise of artificial intelligence and its effect on their income and creativity. While some see AI as a tool for innovation, others view it as a direct threat to their work.

Earlier this month, thousands of artists signed an open letter urging Christie's to cancel its first auction dedicated to AI-generated art. The letter argued that many of the artworks were created using AI models trained on copyrighted material without permission.

Credit: Spotify screenshot by Leslie Katz

"Is This What We Want?" conveys a similar message. Each of its 12 tracks has a one-word title, which together form the statement: "The British government must not legalize music theft to benefit AI companies."

The album is available on Spotify, with all proceeds going to Help Musicians, a UK charity that supports both working and retired musicians.

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• More than 1,000 musicians released a silent album to protest UK copyright law changes.

• The album, "Is This What We Want?" features ambient sounds from empty studios.

• Organised by Ed Newton-Rex, the project highlights concerns over AI's impact on musicians.

Source: FORBES