In an unprecedented show of unity, over 10,000 creative professionals have banded together to send a powerful message to artificial intelligence companies: Stop using our work without permission or compensation. The group, which includes luminaries like ABBA’s Björn Ulvaeus, actress Julianne Moore, and Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke, warns that the unlicensed use of their intellectual property to train AI models poses a “major, unjust threat” to artists’ livelihoods.
Creative Industries Fight Back Against AI Exploitation
The joint statement, signed by thousands of writers, musicians, filmmakers, and other creatives, comes amidst a growing battle over copyright and AI. Artists argue that tech firms are exploiting their work, using it as training data for AI systems without obtaining licenses or providing compensation. According to the statement’s organizer, composer and former AI executive Ed Newton-Rex, this amounts to these companies expecting to take artists’ work for free while spending vast sums on computing power and personnel.
When AI companies call this ‘training data’, they dehumanise it. What we’re talking about is people’s work – their writing, their art, their music.
– Ed Newton-Rex, composer and former AI executive
Legal Battles Brewing Over AI and Copyright
The controversy has already spilled into the courts, with high-profile lawsuits targeting some of the biggest names in AI. In the US, best-selling authors like John Grisham and George R.R. Martin are suing ChatGPT creator OpenAI for alleged copyright infringement. Visual artists and major record labels have also filed suits against firms behind AI image generators and music creators.
At the heart of these disputes lies a fundamental question: Does the use of copyrighted works to train AI models without permission constitute fair use, or is it a violation of creators’ rights? Fair use exceptions allow limited use of copyrighted material without permission for certain purposes like academic research, but many argue that the scale and commercial nature of AI training goes far beyond this scope.
Opt-Out Schemes Slammed as “Totally Unfair”
Newton-Rex also sounded the alarm over proposed “opt-out” schemes that would allow AI companies to freely scrape content unless artists proactively remove their work from the training pool. He called such plans, reportedly under consideration by the UK government, “totally unfair”, noting that most creators are unaware of these systems and would miss their chance to opt out.
It’s totally unfair to put the burden of opting out of AI training on the creator whose work is being trained on. If a government really thought this was a good thing for creators then it would create an opt-in scheme.
– Ed Newton-Rex
With the massive show of support from creatives of all stripes, Newton-Rex says it’s clear that the creative community would consider any opt-out approach deeply unjust. Instead, artists are demanding to have a say in how their work is used, and to be fairly compensated if they choose to allow it.
The Future of AI and Artistic Expression
As AI technologies continue to advance at a rapid pace, the debate over their impact on creative industries is only likely to intensify. While proponents argue that AI can be a powerful tool for artists, enhancing creativity and opening up new possibilities, critics warn that unchecked use of copyrighted works as training data risks undermining the very foundation of artistic livelihoods.
For the thousands of signatories to this statement, the stakes couldn’t be higher. They see the battle over AI and copyright as nothing less than a fight for the future of creative expression itself. As Thom Yorke, Julianne Moore, and their fellow artists make clear, it’s a fight they’re determined to win.
The coming months and years are likely to see further legal challenges, policy debates, and public campaigns as the creative community pushes back against what they see as AI’s assault on their rights and livelihoods. With heavyweights from across the artistic spectrum joining forces, one thing is certain: The era of AI firms freely exploiting artists’ work without consequence is coming to an end.
