Sir Brian May fears for the music industry as the UK government plans to make changes to AI copyright laws.
The Queen guitarist is among those protesting the proposed amendment that would see artists have to opt out of having their work mined by AI algorithms.
The ‘We Will Rock You’ hitmaker believes the damage is already done and has hit out at the “monstrously arrogant billionaire owners” of artificial intelligence and social media.
The 77-year-old music legend starkly warned that if they are not stopped in their tracks, it will become impossible for artists to be able to “afford to make music”.
Speaking to the Daily Mail as part of their campaign against the Labour government’s proposed AI law changes, May said: “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.
“But I applaud this campaign to make the public aware of what is being lost. 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.”
Beyond music, the ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’ hitmaker previously warned that there is “incredibly huge potential” for AI to do “evil” within the world and even thinks it could ultimately lead to global domination and death if it becomes involved in the realm of politics.
He told the Daily Star: “The potential for Al to cause evil is, obviously, incredibly huge – not just in music but people can die if Al gets involved in politics and world domination for various nations.”
May backing the campaign comes after more than 1,000 artists – including Kate Bush, Damon Albarn and Annie Lennox – released a silent album in protest.
The tracklisting for ‘Is This What We Want?’ spells out: “The British government must not legalise music theft to benefit AI companies.”
‘Wuthering Heights’ hitmaker Bush, 66, said in a statement: “In the music of the future, will our voices go unheard?”