BBCSir Elton John described the government as “absolute losers” and said he feels “incredibly betrayed” over plans to exempt technology firms from copyright laws.
Speaking exclusively to Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, he said if ministers go ahead with plans to allow AI firms to use artists’ content without paying, they would be “committing theft, thievery on a high scale”.
This week the government rejected proposals from the House of Lords to force AI companies to disclose what material they were using to develop their programmes.
A government spokesperson said that “no changes” to copyright laws would be “considered unless we are completely satisfied they work for creators”.
Generative AI programmes mine, or learn, from vast amounts of data like text, images, or music online to generate new content which feels like it has been made by a human.
Sir Elton said the “danger” is that, for young artists, “they haven’t got the resources … to fight big tech [firms]”.
“It’s criminal, in that I feel incredibly betrayed,” he added.
“The House of Lords did a vote, and it was more than two to one in our favour,” he said. “The government just looked at it as if to say, ‘Hmm, well the old people … like me can afford it.'”
On Monday, the House of Lords voted by a 147 majority to amend the Data (Use and Access) Bill to add transparency requirements, which aim to ensure copyright holders have to give permission for their work to be used.
But on Wednesday MPs in the House of Commons voted to reject this change, meaning the bill will continue to go back and forth between the two Houses until they reach an agreement on it.
Sir Elton warned the government was on course to “rob young people of their legacy and their income”, adding that he thought the government was “just being absolute losers, and I’m very angry about it”.
The singer said that Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer needed to “wise up” and described Technology Secretary Peter Kyle as “a bit of a moron”.
He said if the government does not change its plans, he would be ready to take ministers to court, saying that “we’ll fight it all the way”.
Speaking alongside the 78-year-old, playwright James Graham said ministers “do understand the value of creativity… but what’s frustrating is either the complacency or the willingness to let Silicon Valley tech bros get it all their own way”.
The chief executive of UK music, Tom Kiehl, told the BBC that the government is “on the brink” of offering up the country’s music industry “as a sacrificial lamb in its efforts to cosy up to American-based tech giants”.
He added that the prime minister “must not sell” the next generation of singers, songwriters, musicians, and music creators “down the river and allow all that talent to be crushed by letting soulless AI bots plunder their work”.
Ahead of the vote in the House of Lords, Sir Elton joined more than 400 British musicians, writers, and artists in signing a letter calling on the prime minister to update copyright laws in a way that protects them from artificial intelligence.
Beatles singer Sir Paul McCartney, who also signed the letter, previously told the BBC there was a risk AI would create a “Wild West” in which artists’ copyright was not properly protected.
A government spokesperson said it wants the UK’s creative industries and AI companies to “flourish, which is why we’re consulting on a package of measures that we hope will work for both sectors”.
The spokesperson said it was “vital” the government worked through responses to a consultation on proposals to allow developers to use creators’ content unless rights holders elected to “opt out”.
They added that it was “equally important that we put in the groundwork now as we consider the next steps”.
“That is why we have committed to publishing a report and economic impact assessment – exploring the broad range of issues and options on all sides of the debate.”
The full interview with Sir Elton John will be on Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg on Sunday 18 January at 09:00 BST.
Sign up for the Off Air with Laura K newsletter to get Laura Kuenssberg’s expert political insight and insider stories every Thursday.
