Sir Elton John isn’t holding back when it comes to the UK government’s stance on AI and copyright laws, and frankly, who can blame him? The music legend, now 78, sat down with Laura Kuenssberg for an interview with the BBC and made it crystal clear he’s fuming over new government proposals that could let tech giants use artists’ work without paying a penny.
In his trademark no-nonsense style, Elton branded the move “thievery on a high scale” and said he’s furious at the idea that the creative output of musicians, writers, and artists could be snatched up by artificial intelligence firms without their consent or compensation. And he didn’t stop there — he’s already talking about taking legal action if things don’t change, reported the Express.
The controversy kicked off this week after the government decided to reject changes suggested by the House of Lords to the Data (Use and Access) Bill. Lords had voted in favour of a transparency requirement that would’ve forced AI companies to declare what copyrighted material they’re using. But MPs in the Commons binned that idea, so now the bill is stuck in political ping-pong between the Houses.
Elton didn’t mince his words. “Some people are not like me, they don’t earn as much as I do,” he said, pointing out that for many creatives, royalties are their lifeline. “When they are creative and it comes from a human soul and not a machine — because a machine is not capable of writing anything with any soul in it — if you’ve got to get rid of that, and you’ve got to rob young people of their legacy and their income, it’s a criminal offence, I think.”
Then came the knockout blow: “I think the government are being absolute losers and I am very angry about it, as you can tell. They would be committing theft, thievery on a high scale.”
And he’s not just venting — he’s ready to take action. Elton said that if the government refuses to back down, “We’ll fight it all the way.”
Also speaking during the interview, playwright James Graham echoed Elton’s concerns. He said ministers do understand how valuable creativity is, but criticised them for either being complacent or simply giving tech companies free rein: “What’s frustrating is either the complacency or the willingness to let Silicon Valley tech bros get it all their own way.”
Elton didn’t hold back on naming names either, calling Peter Kyle, the Technology Secretary, “a bit of a moron,” and urging Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to “wise up.”
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