UK Musicians Launch “Silent Album” to Protest Against AI

The UK government plans to permit neural network developers to use copyrighted artworks for training AI models.

In response, over a thousand musicians, including Kate Bush, Damon Albarn of Blur, and Annie Lennox, have collaborated to create a silent album titled “Is This What We Want?” This 12-track album features silence and distorted concert hall sounds, reflecting the proposed changes to copyright laws. Kate Bush has urged the government to protect artists' rights, asking, “Will our voices be unheard in the music of the future?” The album, available for streaming on platforms such as Spotify, will support the musicians’ charity Help Musicians.

Other signatories of the petition opposing the use of artwork to train generative AI include renowned figures such as Max Richter, Thom Yorke, Ed O'Brien, Oscar-winning composer Hans Zimmer, authors Kazuo Ishiguro, Ted Chiang, and Paula Hawkins, as well as artists Lynn Goldsmith, Kelly McKernan, and numerous MPs and officials.