ABBA singer Bjorn Ulvaeus has called for stronger rules on ‘profit-seeking’ AI companies to protect artists’ copyright.

He joined MPs and the creative industries to urge the Government to rethink proposals to let tech firms plunder their work for free.

Labour plans giving Big Tech an ‘exception’ that allows them to use artists’ material to train AI models unless the creator ‘opts out’ of doing so.

Experts warn it would devastate Britain’s £126billion cultural industry, which provides 2.4million jobs, by letting Silicon Valley pillage our creative genius while offering no advances in the most vital capabilities AI offers in defence, health and science.

Bjorn joined voices who said the opt-out plan is not practical. 

They called on AI firms to be ‘transparent’ about the work they have already used – something Silicon Valley claims is too burdensome. Bjorn said copyright ‘is the oxygen’ creators depend on’.

He told The Times: ‘Unfortunately, there is an alternative and dangerous view, driven by profit-seeking tech companies. AI training must be subject to clear transparency rules.’ 

For years AI firms have been collecting art, books and music for free to train their models.

ABBA singer Bjorn Ulvaeus has called for stronger rules on ‘profit-seeking’ AI companies to protect artists’ copyright

Labour plans giving Big Tech an ‘exception’ that allows them to use artists’ material to train AI models unless the creator ‘opts out’ of doing so

Current copyright laws stipulate that artists get automatic protection and should be compensated if it is used with a landmark case in America earlier this year finding AI firms should pay to use this material.

But in a government consultation earlier this year, it said it favoured giving tech firms a copyright ‘exception’ unless creators opt out.

It closed in February and now creatives are bracing to see if Labour ignores their protests and adopts the proposal.

It would completely reverse centuries of copyright law that have helped turn our creative sector in to the envy of the world.

The Mail launched a campaign – backed by Sir Elton John and Sir Brian May – against the plans under the Data (Use and Access) Bill, which reaches its report stage on May 7.

Baroness Kidron, a film-maker and crossbench peer, said: ‘We can be a world leader in providing the commodity AI firms are most desperate for: high-quality creative content.

‘But we can only seize this growth opportunity if the government gives us meaningful transparency which will allow creators to hold AI firms to account for copyright theft.’

The Mail launched a campaign – backed by Sir Elton John and Sir Brian May – against the plans under the Data (Use and Access) Bill, which reaches its report stage on May 7

Current copyright laws stipulate that artists get automatic protection and should be compensated if it is used with a landmark case in America earlier this year finding AI firms should pay to use this material

Samantha Niblett, a Labour MP who co-chairs the parliamentary internet, communications and technology forum, said: ‘I am a tech optimist and I believe that AI can transform our economy for the better. But this will not happen if AI is built on content stolen from UK citizens, with a regulatory environment that favours Big Tech monopolies.

‘The government has a golden opportunity to introduce transparency provisions in the Data Bill, spurring a dynamic licensing market for the data that is AI’s essential fuel and becoming the most trusted country in the world when it comes to tech and AI.’

Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said: ‘We want to provide a solution allowing both sectors to thrive.’

Caroline Dinenage, the Conservative chairman of the culture, media and sport committee, said: ‘Strong copyright law – enforced by meaningful transparency provisions – will ensure that creators can continue to produce the works that are essential to safe, reliable generative AI models.’