LONDON — Paul McCartney, the legendary musician from The Beatles, has expressed concerns that artificial intelligence might be used to take advantage of artists, urging the UK government to ensure that upcoming changes to copyright laws protect creative professionals.

The music and film sectors around the world are currently dealing with the legal and ethical challenges posed by AI technologies that can generate their own content after being trained on existing works, often without compensating the original creators.

In December, the UK proposed a system that would allow artists to license their work for AI training but also mentioned a provision that could let AI developers use a broad range of materials without reserved rights.

During a BBC interview aired on Sunday, McCartney noted that unless copyrights are safeguarded, only large tech companies would reap the rewards.

“AI has great potential, but it shouldn’t take advantage of creative individuals,” McCartney remarked. “We need to ensure that we protect the creative minds, the artists, or they may disappear. It’s as straightforward as that.”

The government is currently in the process of consulting on updates to copyright legislation, acknowledging that there is confusion regarding how current laws function in the UK, which could hinder investment and the adoption of AI advancements.

In 2023, McCartney utilized AI to recreate the voice of his late bandmate, John Lennon, using a recording from an old cassette tape. He cautioned that artists might suffer if these adjustments are not approached with care.

“You have young talent emerging who write stunning songs, yet they don’t own their work, and anyone can just take it,” he explained.

“The reality is, the money is going somewhere — it appears on streaming services, and it should go to the original creators, not just to some tech corporation.”