Former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney took to the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg’s show yesterday to warn that proposed changes to copyright law could allow “rip off” AI technology that makes it impossible for musicians and artists to make a living.
MCCartney, a long-time supporter of up-and-coming artists and co-founder of the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts, was referencing controversial government plans for a legal overhaul that would automatically allow AI developers to use creators’ content on the internet to help develop their models, unless the rights holders opt out.
In a rare interview with Kuenssberg, McCartney said “when we were kids in Liverpool, we found a job that we loved, but it also paid the bills,” warning the proposals could remove the incentive for writers and artists and result in a “loss of creativity”. McCartney, one of two surviving Beatles alongside Sir Ringo Starr, added that there was a risk that AI would create a “Wild West” in which artists’ copyright is not properly protected.
McCartney went on: “You get young guys, girls, coming up, and they write a beautiful song, and they don’t own it. They don’t have anything to do with it. And anyone who wants can just rip it off. The truth is, the money’s going somewhere. Somebody’s getting paid, so why shouldn’t it be the guy who sat down and wrote Yesterday?
He then directly addressed the government, urging them to think carefully about the plans: “We’re the people, you’re the government! You’re supposed to protect us. That’s your job. So you know, if you’re putting through a bill, make sure you protect the creative thinkers, the creative artists, or you’re not going to have them.”
The government said it aims to deliver legal certainty through a copyright regime that provided creators with “real control” and transparency.
A government spokesperson said: “Our aim is to deliver legal certainty through a copyright regime that provides creators with real control, transparency, and helps them licence their content.”
The spokesperson added the government was “keen to hear the views of the music industry on these proposals” and would “only move forward once we are confident that we are delivering clarity, control and transparency for artists and the sector, alongside appropriate access to data for AI innovators.”
In 2023, McCartney and Beatles drummer Starr used AI to extract the vocals from an unfinished demo left by John Lennon to produce a new song, Now and Then. The song, billed as the Beatles’ final release, drew widespread praise and has been nominated for two Grammys and a Brit award.
“I think AI is great, and it can do lots of great things,” McCartney added. “We took an old cassette of John’s and cleaned his voice up so it sounded like it had just been recorded yesterday. So it has its uses.
“But it shouldn’t rip creative people off. There’s no sense in that.”
