Max Richter warns UK Parliament of AI risks to music industry

Composer Max Richter has warned the UK Parliament about the risks posed by unregulated artificial intelligence to the music industry and the broader cultural sector. During a parliamentary hearing, Richter addressed MPs and ministers, stating that current AI models can easily generate music that sounds “frighteningly similar” to his own work.

Richter emphasized that such capabilities are only possible because AI models are trained on existing artistic materials, often used without the creators' permission or compensation. He highlighted that the unauthorized use of artists' works for AI training raises serious concerns regarding copyright protections and the future economic stability of creators.

The discussion occurs as the creative industry seeks clearer regulations on how AI companies utilize music, lyrics, and other artistic works for model training. Richter also noted the economic importance of human-made music, reminding officials that the United Kingdom is the world's second-largest music exporter, following the United States.