Sir Paul McCartney has warned that proposed changes to copyright law could allow AI to ‘rip off’ musicians. 

The Beatles legend, 82, expressed concern that government ministers are considering giving AI developers the ability to use creators’ content online unless rights holders specifically opt out. 

In an interview with the BBC, Sir Paul said: ‘You get young guys, girls, coming up, and they write a beautiful song, and they don’t own it, and they don’t have anything to do with it. And anyone who wants can just rip it off.’ 

He referenced his band’s 1965 hit Yesterday, saying: ‘The truth is, the money’s going somewhere. Somebody’s getting paid, so why shouldn’t it be the guy who sat down and wrote Yesterday?’ 

Sir Paul called on the Labour Government to reconsider the proposals, adding: ‘We are the people, you’re the Government. You’re supposed to protect us. That’s your job.’ 

He also stressed that artists and creative thinkers need proper protection if the industry is to thrive. 

Sir Paul McCartney has warned that proposed changes to copyright law could allow AI to ‘rip off’ musicians (pictured last year)

The Beatles legend, 82, expressed concern that government ministers are considering giving AI developers the ability to use creators’ content online unless rights holders opt out (pictured last year)

The government’s consultation, which runs until February 25, is exploring how artists can license and be compensated for the use of their work in the digital age. 

However, critics have argued that the idea of artists opting out is unfeasible. 

A government spokesperson responded, saying: ‘Our aim is to deliver legal certainty through a copyright regime that provides creators with real control, transparency, and helps them license their content.’ 

‘We are keen to hear the views of the music industry on these proposals, and no move will be made until we are absolutely confident that we are delivering clarity, control and transparency for artists and the sector, alongside appropriate access to data for AI innovators.’

It comes as the Beatles have been nominated for a BRIT Award for a song written 45 years ago by the late John Lennon.

Announced on Thursday evening, this year’s BRIT Awards feature 70 nominees across 13 categories.

Nominated for 2025 Song of the Year was The Beatles’ 2023 single Now and Then which was dubbed their last song ever.

The song originated as a ballad that John Lennon, who died in 1980, wrote and recorded in 1977 as a solo home demo but ended up leaving it unfinished.

In an interview with the BBC, Sir Paul said: ‘You get young guys, girls, coming up, and they write a beautiful song, and they don’t own it, and they don’t have anything to do with it. And anyone who wants can just rip it off’ (pictured last year)

Sir Paul called on the Labour Government to reconsider the proposals: ‘We are the people, you’re the Government. You’re supposed to protect us. That’s your job’ (pictured 2016)

It comes as The Beatles have been nominated for a BRIT Award for a song written 45 years ago by the late John Lennon (L-R Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, John Lennon and George Harrison in 1969)

Nominated for 2025 Song of the Year was The Beatles’ 2023 single Now and Then which was dubbed their last song ever (pictured in 1964)

Read More The Beatles land first BRIT Award nomination in 42 years for their last ever song Now and Then – featuring John Lennon’s vocals thanks to AI

After Lennon’s ᴀssᴀssination, the song was considered as potential third Beatles reunion single for their 1996 project The Beatles Anthology, but due to production difficulties, it was shelved for nearly three decades.

Then surviving bandmates Paul and Ringo Starr, 84, used overdubs and guitar tracks by George Harrison, who died in 2001 from the abandoned session.

The final version features additional lyrics by McCartney. Lennon’s voice was extracted from the demo using machine-learning-ᴀssisted audio restoration technology.

The song topped the charts in the United Kingdom, Germany, and Austria, and reached the top ten in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Ireland, Japan, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United States.

The song was first performed live by McCartney in October 2024 as part of his Got Back tour at the Estadio Centenario of Montevideo and has since been nominated in the 67th Annual Grammy Awards for Record of the Year and now a BRIT Award.

The Beatles first received a BRIT nomination in 1977 – the first-ever BRIT Awards – despite breaking up in December 1974.

They won British Album of the Year for Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band as well as an award for British Group.

Other artists nominated for Song of the Year include Dua Lipa, Coldplay, Chase and Status and Sam Ryder, 35.