Notable Personalities Rally Against Unregulated Use of Creative Content for AI Development

Several renowned personalities spanning diverse domains, including actor Kevin Bacon, author Kazuo Ishiguro, musician Robert Smith, and journalist-historian Sidney Blumenthal, are part of the 11,500 individuals who have voiced their protest against the unauthorized utilization of creative content for training Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems.

The signatories highlight the significant and unjust threat this unregulated use poses to the livelihoods of creators. They firmly advocate against allowing such practices.

This protest emerges at a crucial juncture, as policymakers deliberate on how to address the issue of data extraction for generative AI. Recently, the Financial Times revealed that the UK government is considering introducing an ‘opt-out’ scheme for AI content scraping.

Pioneered by British music composer Ed Newton-Rex, previously associated with Stability AI, the petition has garnered substantial attention. Newton-Rex emphasizes the high level of concern among creators, accusing AI firms of reducing people’s artistic creations to mere ‘training data’, thereby stripping them of their human essence.

The Fight for Creative Rights in the Age of AI

The creative industry is at an intriguing intersection with technology, particularly Artificial Intelligence (AI). As AI continues to evolve, the concern over the unlicensed use of creative works for training these systems grows. High-profile personalities, including actor Kevin Bacon, author Kazuo Ishiguro, and musician Robert Smith, have joined the fight against this practice.

These individuals, along with over 11,500 others, have signed a petition warning against the potential threat this unregulated use poses. They argue that the livelihoods of creators are at risk and that such actions should not be allowed.

The issue gains significance as lawmakers around the world grapple with how to address data scraping for generative AI development. In fact, the UK government is even considering implementing an ‘opt-out’ model for AI content scraping, as reported by the Financial Times.

Ed Newton-Rex, a former executive at Stability AI and a British composer, spearheaded this petition. He reflects the sentiments of many creators who feel their works are being dehumanized by AI companies, who refer to these creative pieces as mere “training data.”