Music labels sue AI song generators Suno and Udio for copyright infringement

BOSTON – Major record labels are suing artificial intelligence-based song generators Suno and Udio for copyright infringement, claiming the AI ​​music startups are exploiting the recordings of artists from Chuck Berry to Mariah Carey.

The Recording Industry Association of America announced the lawsuits on Monday, filed by labels including Sony Music Entertainment, UMG Recordings and Warner Records.

One case was filed in federal court in Boston against Suno AI, the other in New York against Uncharted Labs, the developer of Udio AI.

Mikey Shulman, CEO of Suno AI, said in an emailed statement that the technology is “designed to generate entirely new results, not to memorize and replay content that already exists” and that it does not allow users to reference specific artists.

Shulman said his Cambridge, Massachusetts-based startup has tried to explain this to labels, “but instead of having a serious discussion, they’ve gone back to their old lawyer-dictated maneuver.”

Udio did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

RIAA Chairman and CEO Mitch Glazier said in a written statement that the music industry is already working with responsible AI developers, but said that “unlicensed services like Suno and Udio, which claim it is ‘fair’ to copy an artist’s life’s work and exploit it for their own profit without consent or payment, destroy the promise of truly innovative AI for all of us.”

AI is a hotly debated topic in the music industry, with debates ranging from the new technology’s creative possibilities to concerns about its legality. In March, Tennessee became the first U.S. state to pass a law protecting songwriters, artists and other music industry professionals from the potential dangers of artificial intelligence. Proponents said the goal is to ensure AI tools cannot replicate an artist’s voice without their consent.

The following month, over 200 artists signed an open letter from the nonprofit organization Artist Rights Alliance calling on technology companies, developers, platforms and digital music services, and platforms based on artificial intelligence to stop using AI to violate and devalue the rights of human artists.