Paul McCartney has released his first recording in five years to protest against Artificial Intelligence (AI) stealing the work of Britain’s music industry.
The Beatles star is the biggest name on a new album of silent tracks designed to demonstrate the threat to the sector.
Other stars including Kate Bush, Annie Lennox, Damon Albarn and The Clash have also collaborated on the project.
More than 1,000 musicians contributed tracks to the album – called ‘Is this what we want?’ – to protest against Government proposals to change copyright law.
It features recordings of empty studios and performance spaces in a silent protest suggesting what will happen if Government allows tech firms to flout copyright laws.
Their intervention comes after warnings that Silicon Valley giants are looting the work of those in the British creative sector to train their AI models.
Artists get automatic copyright protection that means tech firms should compensate them if they use their work to train AI models.
Sir Paul McCartney at Co-op Live in Manchester during his Got Back tour last December
They say that US-based firms are using online material, such as text, images or music, to feed their systems and do not credit those who created it.
The Daily Mail is campaigning for authors, publishers and musicians to be paid a fair price for their work and to have their copyright respected.
Ed Newton-Rex, the composer behind the album, said: ‘I am very concerned the government is paying more attention to US tech companies’ interests rather than British creatives’ interests.’
Speaking about AI last year, Sir Paul said: ‘We got to be careful about it because it could just take over and we don’t want that to happen, particularly for the young composers and writers who it may be the only way they gonna make a career.
‘If AI wipes that out, that would be a very sad thing indeed.’
Wuthering Heights singer Kate Bush, who recorded one of the pieces, asked the Government: ‘In the music of the future, will our voices go unheard?’
Creatives are lobbying ministers to protect copyright in the face of lobbying from the US who want to advance the interests of its tech sector.
Ministers have stepped back from plans to force creatives to ‘opt out’ of having their work stolen, and are consulting on how to deal with the issue of AI.
An update is expected on plans before December but changes to the legal framework are not expected to be debated in Parliament any time soon.
A Government spokesman said: ‘We’ve always been clear on the need to work with both the creative industries and AI sector to drive AI innovation and ensure robust protections for creators.
‘We are bringing together both British and global companies, alongside voices beyond the AI and creative sectors, to ensure we can capture the broadest possible range of expert views as we consider next steps.’
The vinyl release is available from December 8.
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Paul McCartney uses the sound of silence to protest against AI: Former Beatle’s first new recording in five years is of eerily quiet recording studio