07.04.2025: As the Government looks to rip up existing copyright laws, UK Music Chief Executive Tom Kiehl says that our industry can embrace Artificial Intelligence (AI) growth without throwing our world-leading creators and music businesses under the bus.

Having identified AI as a major part of its growth strategy, the Government is proposing a controversial overhaul of existing copyright laws, which would enable big tech firms to train their AI systems on the work of creators without permission or payment.

The onus would subsequently be put on creators to opt-out of AI companies’ policies on AI training – a complex and laborious process that has been tried in the EU with negligible effect.

As a result, the UK music industry has united behind creators to ensure that their rights are protected and that AI firms aren’t able to steal their work and strip the sector of its most valuable assets.

In February, UK Music Chief Executive Tom Kiehl told the Daily Mail: “We want to be part of the Government’s growth strategy, yet this plan to tear up our existing copyright rules would allow that growth and value to be freely siphoned away to tech giants.

“These proposals would be catastrophic for our world-leading creative industries. The opt-out system being put forward prioritises AI firms over human creativity, enabling big tech firms to effectively steal the work of music creators without their consent and without paying them.

“This would deliver a devastating blow to the entire industry which contributes £7.6 billion to our economy and supports 216,000 jobs in the UK.

“The proposed changes could drastically impact the next generation of emerging UK talent to take on the mantle of stars like Sir Paul McCartney and Sir Elton John who have already warned about the damage these changes could wreak.

“Our creative industries are united against these deeply damaging proposals to let AI bots plunder the work of the UK’s creative talent.”

Ahead of the Government’s AI consultation closing date of February 25th, a raft of cross party MPs have also urged Government to rethink their proposals on AI and copyright, with many outlining the crucial needs to protect creators’ right in the House of Commons. You can read what they had to say here.