The world’s biggest record labels, including Sony Music, Universal Music Group, and Warner Records, are taking legal action against two artificial intelligence (AI) start-ups, Suno and Udio, over alleged copyright infringement. The firms claim that the AI software developed by Suno and Udio has been used to steal music and create similar works on an “almost unimaginable scale.”
The lawsuits, announced by the Recording Industry Association of America, seek compensation of $150,000 per work and are part of a growing trend of challenges to the rights of AI firms to use copyrighted material. Suno, based in Massachusetts, boasts over 10 million users of its music-making tool and recently secured $125 million in funding. Udio, based in New York and backed by venture capital investors like Andreessen Horowitz, gained attention for creating a parody track related to a feud between artists Kendrick Lamar and Drake.
While AI firms have argued that their use of copyrighted material falls under fair use, the record labels claim that Suno and Udio are simply profiting from copying songs without permission. The complaints allege that the AI-generated works are indistinguishable from authentic recordings and threaten to undermine the music industry’s ecosystem.
The lawsuits come on the heels of a letter signed by over 200 artists, including Billie Eilish and Nicki Minaj, calling for a halt to the “predatory” use of AI in the music industry. The outcome of this landmark case could have far-reaching implications for the future of AI technology in the music industry.
