A petition signed by over 11,500 creatives, including notable figures like Kevin Bacon, Kazuo Ishiguro, Robert Smith, and Sidney Blumenthal, is calling for an end to the unlicensed use of creative works for AI training. The petition warns that this practice poses a significant threat to the livelihoods of artists, writers, and musicians, and demands that lawmakers take action to protect their rights.

The petition comes at a critical time, as governments consider how to regulate the use of data for AI development. In the UK, the government is planning to consult on an 'opt-out' model for AI content scraping, a move that could have far-reaching implications for the tech industry.

The petition's organizer, British composer Ed Newton-Rex, accuses AI companies of "dehumanizing" people's art and work by referring to it as "training data." The creative community is sending a clear message that their work must be respected and protected.