Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page attacks UK government’s AI copyright plan: “Will we let the machines take the stage, or will we fight for the irreplaceable magic of human artistry?”
Led Zeppelin‘s Jimmy Page has hit out at the UK government over their AI copyright plan and its impact on music and arts.
The legendary guitarist’s comments come as the UK government is planning to make changes to copyright laws – making it easier for artificial intelligence platforms to develop and train their models using copyrighted work, without needing a license.
They would be allowed to use material online without respecting copyright if doing so for “text or data mining”. This would be allowed unless the rights holders chose to “opt-out”.
Page took to his official Instagram account to express his concerns over the proposition, explaining that the opt-out system would allow for the exploration of artists without proper compensation.
“Today, as artificial intelligence seeks to mimic and monetise creativity, we stand at a crossroads. AI-generated art and music, synthesised from existing human works, lack the visceral essence that comes from lived experience. They are but hollow echoes, devoid of the struggles, triumphs, and soul that define true artistry,” the guitarist wrote.
He continued: “Moreover, the ethical implications are profound. When AI scrapes the vast tapestry of human creativity to generate content, it often does so without consent, attribution, or compensation. This is not innovation; it’s exploitation.
“If, during my session days, someone had taken my riffs without acknowledgment or payment, it would have been deemed theft. The same standard must apply to AI.
“We must champion policies that protect artists, ensuring that their work isn’t siphoned off into the void of machine learning without due regard. Let us celebrate and preserve the human touch in art – the imperfections, the emotions, the stories behind every note and cadence.”
Page also went on to urge that human creativity is protected against the UK government’s proposition which he had called a “sham”, adding that by doing so, “We safeguard not just the rights of artists, but the very soul of our cultural heritage.”
He continued: “It is technically impossible for artists to opt out. The government’s consultation ends today, but we should be clear: this is not regulation; it is a free pass for AI to exploit creativity without consequence.
“We must push for legislation that ensures AI cannot monetise human creativity without explicit consent and fair compensation. The government’s preferred option in its current consultation does not do that.”
Page described music as “not a product of data” but rather a “evocation, a defiance of logic, a collision of time and place and soul,” and added that: “If we allow AI to co-opt the heart of human creativity, we are not ushering in a bold new era – we are signing the death warrant of originality itself.”
The iconic musician’s statement is the latest opinion to be shared in the ongoing discourse around AI in music.
Recently, Queen’s Brian May also spoke out about the government’s proposition and told the Daily Mail: “My fear is that it’s already too late – 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. The future is already forever changed.”
Paul McCartney has also criticised the proposed changes, saying if it goes ahead it will allow AI to rip off artists and result in a “loss of creativity”.
Elsewhere, over 1,000 artists including Damon Albarn, Kate Bush and Annie Lennox released a silent album in protest of planned changes to copyright AI laws planned by the UK government.
The impact of rising AI usage in the music industry is already becoming prominent. Just two months ago, a new study shared the stark warning that people working in music are likely to lose a quarter of their income to Artificial Intelligence over the next four years.
This prediction comes as the annual market for generative AI is currently €3billion, and expected to rise to €64billion by 2028.
It has moved into 2025 too, with streaming platform Deezer stating that around 10,000 AI-generated tracks are submitted to the platform daily – making up around 10 per cent of all its music uploads.
Last summer, Nick Cave continued to be a vocal opponent to the rise of AI in music, saying that its usage within the industry is “unbelievably disturbing” and will have a “humiliating effect” on creatives
“Its intent is to completely sidestep the sort of inconvenience of the artistic struggle, going straight to the commodity, which reflects on us, what we are, as human beings, which is just things that consume stuff. We don’t make things anymore. We just consume stuff. It’s frightening,” he said.
The post Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page attacks UK government’s AI copyright plan: “Will we let the machines take the stage, or will we fight for the irreplaceable magic of human artistry?” appeared first on NME.
