Brief
UK music industry warned it lags on AI protection ahead of Burnham summit
Experts say the UK needs stronger AI safeguards for musicians as an AI summit approaches in Manchester.
By Felo News Desk · Published
The UK music sector is "lagging behind" in protecting artists from artificial‑intelligence threats, industry experts told The Independent ahead of an AI summit organised by Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham at the Beyond the Music festival.
What happened
Musicians have raised alarms that AI tools are outpacing regulation, with AI‑generated songs, deep‑fake videos and voice clones appearing across streaming platforms and social media. The Independent notes that a pornographic deep‑fake of Taylor Swift in 2024 sparked outrage over gender‑based abuse, while artists such as Bad Bunny, SZA and Nick Cave have publicly condemned AI programmes that mimic their vocal likenesses.
What the reports add
The article cites several international actions: Tennessee became the first US state in March 2024 to criminalise unauthorised commercial use of an artist’s voice, though the law does not stop training data collection. Australia has banned AI‑created songs from its official charts, and Sweden has imposed a similar ban. In the UK, Jorja Smith’s label sued the dance act Haven after an AI‑generated track “I Run” that used a clone of Smith’s voice entered the UK Top 40; the track was subsequently removed from streaming services and chart listings in both the UK and the US.
What was said
"We should all be concerned about the replacement of human creativity, ignoring moral rights and the flattening and appropriation of culture," Tom Gray, chair of the Ivors Academy, told The Independent. "Overall, unregulated generative AI feels like an innovative way to make a bad problem much, much worse. Skint musicians only getting skinter. A profession already under threat, but hugely valued by society, in peril." Sarah Pearson, co‑founder of Beyond the Music, added that there is "an enormous amount to do" in the UK to address these challenges.
How it came about
The concerns stem from a rapid rise in AI‑generated content that can be monetised without artists’ consent. Earlier this year, Jorja Smith’s label took legal action after a viral TikTok hit used an AI clone of her voice, prompting the removal of the track from charts. The upcoming AI summit, part of the Beyond the Music festival in Salford, Manchester, is intended to bring together policymakers, tech firms and musicians to discuss regulatory frameworks.
Key facts
- UK experts say the country is lagging behind in AI protection for musicians (independent.co.uk)
- Tennessee passed the first US law in March 2024 to ban unauthorised commercial use of an artist's voice (independent.co.uk)
- Australia and Sweden have banned AI‑created songs from their official charts (independent.co.uk)
- Jorja Smith's label sued the act Haven over an AI‑generated track that entered the UK Top 40 (independent.co.uk)
- Tom Gray of the Ivors Academy warned that unregulated generative AI could worsen problems for musicians (independent.co.uk)
Sources
- [1] independent.co.uk — originally reported as “‘Enormous amount to do’ to protect UK music industry from AI, experts say”
