The UK music sector is significant, contributing a record £7.6 billion to the economy in 2023, with £4.6 billion coming from music exports, underscoring its importance.

Dan Conway, CEO of the Publishers Association, has called for fair trading practices with Big Tech, highlighting the significant economic contributions of publishing.

The proposed 'opt-out' system has been criticized as placing an unreasonable burden on individual artists to monitor their content usage across numerous AI platforms.

However, critics, including organizer Ed Newton-Rex, argue that the proposals are disastrous for musicians, allowing AI companies to exploit their work for free and jeopardizing their livelihoods.

High-profile figures such as Sir Paul McCartney, Elton John, and Simon Cowell have publicly opposed these changes, emphasizing the need for fair treatment of artists and warning that the proposals could undermine their livelihoods.

Max Richter highlighted that the law changes could impoverish not only musicians but also creators across various fields, including writers and visual artists.

The protest stems from concerns that the UK government's new proposals would allow AI companies to utilize musicians' works for training models without permission, unless artists actively opt out.

All profits from the silent album will be donated to the charity Help Musicians, which supports artists affected by these proposed changes.

This initiative reflects a broader movement within creative industries advocating for stronger protections against unauthorized use of intellectual property by AI technologies.

In a bold move against proposed changes to UK copyright law, over 1,000 musicians, including notable names like Kate Bush and Annie Lennox, have come together to release a silent album titled 'This What We Want?'. This album features recordings of empty studios, symbolizing the fear that artists' voices may be disregarded due to advancements in artificial intelligence.

The government claims that the consultation aims to ensure strong protections for artists while providing legal clarity regarding AI's use of copyrighted content.

A letter published in the Times, signed by 34 leading creatives, warns that the proposals would unfairly benefit big tech companies at the expense of the UK's creative sectors.