Singer Elton John harshly criticizes the idea of ​​​​granting copyright to Artificial Intelligence

Elton John said he feels "incredibly betrayed" by the British government , which, despite opposition from numerous artists, is supporting a bill that would relax copyright laws in favor of Artificial Intelligence (AI) companies.

Last week, the Lords of the Upper House of Parliament extensively amended the text of Keir Starmer's Labour government to better protect artists, but MPs voted against these changes, sparking the ire of the British star. This bill "is criminal, I feel incredibly betrayed," Elton John told the BBC.

The star, who had supported Labour in the July 2024 election , accused them of wanting to "strip young artists of their assets and income. " The members of this government "are absolute losers, I'm furious," continued the 78-year-old singer, ready to "fight to the bitter end" and sue them, if necessary, for this "large-scale theft."

The government's bill proposes a copyright exemption that would make it easier for AI companies to use content for commercial purposes. If the law is passed, they will no longer need to obtain permission from authors or compensate them.

The amendment, voted on by the Lords and then rejected by members of the Labour-led House of Commons, required artists to give their permission before any use of their work and to be informed of any use made of it. The dispute now continues between the two chambers.

This project faces strong opposition from the cultural world, and Elton John signed an open letter a few days ago, along with Paul McCartney, Dua Lipa, Coldplay , and more than 400 other artists, calling for the defense of copyright. The government argued that the Lords' amendments interfered with a pending AI and Copyright Bill. Under-Secretary of State for Technology Maggie Jones also expressed concern about a "real risk" that " AI innovators " would refrain from developing their services in the UK if they were subjected to too many "obligations."

The Labour government hopes to make the UK a "world leader" in AI. In mid-January, it announced a plan aimed at attracting AI companies by allowing them to test their innovations before any regulation.