Some of the biggest names in British music united at last night’s Brit awards to back a campaign to stop AI plundering the UK’s creative genius.
The award organisers sent a clear message to Labour by setting up a photo booth on the red carpet where celebrities could voice their protests against the plans to grant artificial intelligence (AI) developers an exemption from copyright law.
Concerns raised by musicians, writers, and artists include fears that these plans could potentially enable AI companies to significantly harm Britain’s lucrative £126 billion creative industries by essentially allowing their technology to ‘steal’ online content on a massive scale.
Stars at London’s O2 arena last night posed for photos to back the Make It Fair campaign or recorded powerful videos of support.
McFly guitarist Danny Jones, who won I’m A Celebrity last year, and bandmate Tom Fletcher, were among the first in the photo booth.
They were followed by indie rock girlband The Last Dinner Party, whose album Prelude To Ecstasy was up for Album of the Year.
Notable figures such as Kasabian frontman Sergio Pizzorno, Paloma Faith, Myles Smith, Lola Young, Rachel Chinouriri, FLO, and Nia Archives took the opportunity to have their photos taken in the booth to show their solidarity against these controversial proposals.
Scottish star Tom Walker, who wrote and sang the hit Leave A Light On, summed up the protest saying: ‘Just leave it to musicians to make music.’
The Last Dinner Party were seen in the Make It Fair boothÂ
Serge Pizzorno from Kasabian was seen at the Make it Fair booth
McFly guitarist Danny Jones , who won I’m A Celebrity last year, and bandmate Tom Fletcher (both pictured) were among the first in the photo booth
Indie rock girlband The Last Dinner Party (pictured) also backed the campaign
In the O2, guests enjoyed a three-course black-tie dinner beneath huge screens projecting the Make It Fair banner with the ‘Don’t let AI steal our music’ slogan.
Government proposals to make sweeping changes to copyright law would give tech firms free access to British films, books, music and news to train AI models – without needing to pay or seek permissions from the people who created or own the rights.
Creators would have to register an opt-out if they did not want their work exploited by such firms. At present their copyright is protected automatically.
There is also a threat to Britain’s free press, with journalistic content taken from newspaper websites without recompense.
A Brits source said: ‘The timing of the awards was perfect for the campaign. Record label bosses have been helping their stars understand what is at stake and have been encouraging them to speak out if they win.’
BBC Radio One DJ Arielle Free praised the Mail’s crusade to prevent the AI plunder, adding: ‘The artists here are getting behind it.’
On Friday Sir Keir Starmer signalled a possible climbdown.
Asked if his plans were ‘set in stone’, the Prime Minister said: ‘No, all that’s happened is there’s been a consultation. The creative sector is really important to our economy.Â
‘AI is really important to our economy, and we’ll review it in that light. But I want creatives to thrive. I think they’re really important for our country – not just the contribution to the economy but our global reputation.’
Technology Secretary Peter Kyle held four meetings with executives from Amazon, Google, Meta and Microsoft during his first three months in the post.
Further sit-downs followed with Apple, TikTok and X.
It’s not innovation, it’s exploitation, says Led Zeppelin legend Jimmy Page
By Mark Hookham, Senior Reporter
Rock legend Jimmy Page has warned that the Government’s plans to let Big Tech pillage Britain’s creative industries could sign ‘the death warrant of originality’.
The Led Zeppelin founder last night branded the controversial proposals to overhaul copyright rules as a ‘free pass for AI to exploit creativity without consequence’.
Warning of the ‘profound’ ethical implications, he added: ‘When AI scrapes the vast tapestry of human creativity to generate content, it often does so without consent, attribution, or compensation. This is not innovation; it’s exploitation.’
Tech firms are demanding the right to use copyrighted material to ‘train’ their AI models.
Rock legend Jimmy Page (pictured) has warned that the Government’s plans to let Big Tech pillage Britain’s creative industries could sign ‘the death warrant of originality’
However, Mr Page, 81, pictured, compared the plan to how he honed his craft as a session musician in the early 1960s. He said: ‘If someone had taken my riffs without acknowledgement or payment, it would have been deemed theft. The same standard must apply to AI.’
The Government has proposed an ‘opt out’ aimed at allowing artists to protect their work. But Mr Page branded this a ‘sham’.
In his call to arms, the musician, who created some of the most distinctive guitar riffs in history, said: ‘If we allow AI to co-opt the heart of human creativity, we are not ushering in a bold new era – we are signing the death warrant of originality itself.’
Mr Page joins a host of musicians who have spoken out against the plans, including Sir Paul McCartney and Sir Elton John.
