Daijiworld Media Network – London

London, May 10: Over 400 of the UK’s top artists, including music legends Elton John, Paul McCartney, Dua Lipa, and Florence Welch, have signed a powerful open letter urging Prime Minister Keir Starmer to safeguard their copyrights from exploitation by major tech firms.

The petition, reported by The Guardian, warns against provisions in the proposed Data (Use and Access) Bill that would allow tech developers to use copyrighted content to train artificial intelligence models—without the permission of creators. The artists demand that the government uphold transparency and protect their intellectual property.

“We will lose an immense growth opportunity if we give our work away at the behest of a handful of powerful overseas tech companies and with it our future income, the UK’s position as a creative powerhouse, and any hope that the technology of daily life will embody the values and laws of the United Kingdom,” the letter cautions.

The protest highlights growing unease in the creative sector over the use of protected content in AI training, which many fear could undermine the UK’s global cultural standing and deprive artists of income.

A government spokesperson responded by emphasizing a balanced approach: “We want our creative industries and AI companies to flourish, which is why we're consulting on a package of measures that we hope will work for both sectors. We're clear that no changes will be considered unless we are completely satisfied they work for creators,” they told.

However, critics like Julia Willemyns of the Centre for British Progress warned that too many restrictions could backfire. “Such policies could offshore AI development, chill domestic innovation, and directly harm the UK economy,” she said.

The debate now places the UK government at a crossroads: between protecting its world-renowned creative industries and encouraging a competitive edge in global AI innovation.