Queen Legend Brian May Warns AI Could Destroy Music Industry
British rock icon Brian May warns that the music industry faces a bleak future if tech companies continue using copyrighted material to train artificial intelligence systems. The Queen guitarist is speaking out against new British government plans that would allow AI training on creative content unless artists specifically opt out.
“This theft has already been performed and is unstoppable, like so many incursions that the monstrously arrogant billionaire owners of Al and social media are making into our lives”, May states. “The future is already forever changed.”
Growing campaign against AI overreach
The famous guitarist shared these strong views as part of a growing campaign against AI overreach in the creative industries, writes the Daily Mail.
“I applaud this campaign to make the public aware of what is being lost”, May continues. “I hope it succeeds in putting a brake on, because if not, nobody will be able to afford to make music from here on in.”
Other music legends have joined the protest. Sir Elton John added his voice to the campaign, saying: “The UK’s creative sector is the envy of the world, but we only achieved that success with the backing of our long-standing copyright protection – the world’s gold standard.”
Powerful symbolic move
In a powerful symbolic move, over 1,000 artists including Kate Bush, Damon Albarn, and Hans Zimmer have released a ‘silent album’ titled Is This What We Want? to highlight how the music world would suffer without human creativity.
“We all recognise and embrace the fact that generative AI technology offers some incredible opportunities for us all”, May continues. “This is not new. The music community has always been quick to adopt new technologies… But adoption of this copyright exception would destroy the UK’s leadership that has been hard won, and what’s worse, it would give it all away. For nothing.”
