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In the ongoing tension between the music industry and artificial intelligence companies, major record labels have filed lawsuits against two prominent AI music startups. Universal Music Group (UMG), Sony Music Entertainment, and Warner Records are among the plaintiffs accusing Udio and Suno of large-scale copyright infringement.
The lawsuits, spearheaded by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), allege that these AI companies have trained their models on copyrighted sound recordings from artists across various genres and time periods without proper consent. The complaints argue that the AI-generated music could potentially flood the market with content that directly competes with and devalues the original recordings.
Both Udio and Suno offer services that allow users to generate music from text prompts. Udio's technology gained attention after being used to create the viral "BBL Drizzy" track, while Suno has secured significant funding and a partnership with Microsoft.
The RIAA is seeking damages of up to $150,000 per infringed work, highlighting the potential financial implications for the AI companies. Ken Doroshow, RIAA's chief legal officer, described the cases as "straightforward" instances of copyright infringement involving unlicensed copying on a massive scale.
In response, Suno's CEO Mikey Shulman defended the company's technology as "transformative," designed to generate new outputs rather than reproduce existing content. Shulman expressed disappointment that the record labels chose legal action over a good faith discussion.
This legal battle represents a crucial moment in the ongoing debate surrounding AI and copyright in the creative industries. It follows previous conflicts, including UMG's lawsuit against Anthropic for distributing copyrighted song lyrics through its AI system.
The music industry's concerns extend beyond these specific cases. There are growing fears about AI's ability to create convincing imitations of known artists, raising questions about control over AI-generated likenesses. Major platforms like TikTok and YouTube have also been drawn into the controversy, implementing measures to address AI-generated content.
AI technology continues to advance, these lawsuits may set important precedents for how intellectual property rights are interpreted and protected in the age of artificial intelligence.
