Universal Music Group, Sony Music, and Warner Records have filed lawsuits against AI music-synthesis companies Udio and Suno, alleging mass copyright infringement for using the labels’ recordings to train music-generating AI models, according to Reuters. These lawsuits, filed in federal courts in New York and Massachusetts, argue that the AI-generated music produced by these companies could compete with and devalue human artistic works.
Udio and Suno can generate novel song recordings based on textual descriptions, such as “a dubstep song about Linus Torvalds.” The record labels claim that these AI models, like other generative AI, rely heavily on existing human-created works to train their neural networks, often without clear disclosure of their data sources. Until recently, it was a common practice in machine learning to scrape and use copyrighted information without permission—a practice now under intense scrutiny as these AI technologies become commercial products.
The record labels are seeking statutory damages of up to $150,000 per song used in training. They have cited specific instances where AI-generated content allegedly reproduces elements from well-known songs such as The Temptations’ “My Girl,” Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” and James Brown’s “I Got You (I Feel Good).” They also claim these models can replicate vocal styles of famous artists like Michael Jackson and Bruce Springsteen.
This legal action is notably the first to specifically target music-generating AI. However, music companies and artists have long been preparing for the challenges posed by this technology. In May, Sony Music sent warnings to over 700 AI companies and music-streaming services, explicitly prohibiting the use of its music for AI model training. Additionally, over 200 musical artists signed an open letter calling for an end to AI practices that “devalue the rights of human artists.”
Reflecting on similar legal battles, such as the New York Times’ lawsuit against OpenAI, the outcome of this case could significantly impact the future of generative AI in creative fields. If courts require companies to license all musical training data, it could make AI model development economically unviable for smaller startups, while allowing large corporations to dominate the generative music market.