Two AI-based music start-ups, Suno and Udio, are under fire from major record labels Universal, Sony, and Warner for alleged “industrial scale infringement” of copyrighted music used to train their models. The legal battle, initiated in late June, centers on the AI training processes that allegedly exploit copyrighted sound recordings without proper authorization.
Suno and Udio’s platforms enable users to create songs by typing descriptions and, with recent updates, allow the uploading of sound files to enhance AI-generated music. The record labels argue that such practices violate foundational copyright laws. According to their lawsuit, “copying protected sound recordings for the purpose of developing an AI product requires permission from rightsholders.”
The lawsuit dismisses claims of fair use by Suno, emphasizing that fair use is intended to foster human creativity, not machine-generated music that imitates original works. Suno, however, defends its practices, asserting that its use of copyrighted music is fair and accusing the major labels of stifling competition. Suno’s attorney argues that the labels perceive the innovative tool as a threat to their market share.
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has also condemned the start-ups, accusing them of “massive unlicensed copying” of artists’ recordings. The RIAA argues that this infringement cannot be justified as fair use, likening it to theft of an artist’s life’s work.
In a related development, the UK’s new Labour Government has decided to shelve a projected £1.3 billion in spending on tech and AI projects. This decision follows a parliamentary group’s recommendation to regulate the use of AI tools in music, echoing concerns over copyright issues.
