Artists Must Adapt: Thriving in the Age of AI

Tony Blair Let's consider Think Tank is gearing up to inform the Government about the surge in AI is inevitable – and the UK risks falling behind unless creators yield to Big Tech.

A research paper that has been leaked from the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change (TBI), an organization funded by US technology tycoon Larry Ellison, suggests that artists should "adjust to technological pressures" similar to how they responded when photography was introduced.

It goes so far as to claim that content-devouring AI systems are merely 'inspired' by the copyrighted materials they ingest, highlighting that artists typically do not compensate their sources of inspiration.

Keir Starmer 's government wants to exempt Big Tech from copyright law, allowing it to use any online material to improve their AI products. Creators would have to opt out of having their work exploited.

According to the leaked TBI report, giving AI firms unrestricted access to online books, music, films and artworks will 'enable art to evolve'.

The idea that art might cease to exist just because a new tool simplifies certain processes contradicts millennia of history and the art community’s reaction to previous disruptions, according to the statement.

'Distant from signaling the conclusion of art, artificial intelligence will signify the start of entirely new methods of creative expression.'

Art has consistently evolved in response to technological pressures and will do so once more.

The emergence of photography in the 19th century triggered a significant crisis in modern art but also ignited a sequence of revolutionary movements.

Billionaire Larry Ellison, aged 80 and the founder of the major AI company Oracle, has donated approximately £300 million ($375 million) to TBI since 2018. He has also sustained a close connection with Sir Tony Blair, who holds considerable influence within progressive political circles.

In last year’s issue of Time Magazine, Sir Tony, who was 71 at the time, penned these words: "Larry possesses the intellect of an engineer, the insatiable curiosity of a hundred cats, and the modesty to continually learn—traits that define genuine agents of change."

He also acknowledged that Oracle is 'the custodian of a staggering portion of the globe's data'.

Ellison, the world's fourth-richest man, has repeatedly argued AI should be given free reign over the internet.

During last month’s conversation with Sir Tony at the World Government Summit in Dubai, he proposed that all U.S. data, such as DNA information, should be stored in a massive Oracle database for analysis through artificial intelligence.

He suggested last year implementing an oppressive monitoring framework designed for constant observation of individuals through AI-powered Oracle machines.

Although the TBI report, titled "Reimagining Copyright In The Age Of AI," doesn't delve as deeply into these ideas, it largely aligns with Ellison's philosophy.

Yesterday evening, the TBI refuted claims suggesting they support allowing major technology corporations unrestricted use of copyrighted content. They stated instead that they plan to provide guidance on ways creators might 'create fresh revenue streams and foster collaborative creativity within the realm of artificial intelligence.'

A spokesperson stated that they would back the government’s AI initiative, noting that the document will outline a strategy for implementing the text-and-data mining exemption suggested by the Intellectual Property Office. Additionally, it will propose methods to assist the creative sector.

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