AI Music Startup Suno Faces intensified Scrutiny in Copyright Lawsuit
New York, NY – Suno, the artificial intelligence music generation company, is defending its practices against claims of large-scale copyright infringement brought by major record labels, with the latest legal filings centering on allegations the company circumvented YouTube‘s anti-stream-ripping encryption.The dispute highlights the escalating tensions between AI developers and the music industry over the use of copyrighted material to train AI models.
The record labels argue Suno deliberately chose an illegal method – bypassing YouTube’s security measures to download music – rather than legally acquiring training data. “The violation lies in the circumvention, not the reason for it,” Suno’s opponents asserted in a recent motion. This counters Suno’s previous claim of fair use, a defense the labels dismiss, stating the company “coudl have acquired its training data lawfully” but opted for a “cheaper and faster route.”
Suno is among a growing number of AI programs accused of illicitly using copyrighted music. A recent report from the International Confederation of Music Publishers (ICMP) alleges these apps, including midjourney and ChatGPT, are “ripping” “tens of millions of works” daily, characterizing the practice as “the largest IP theft in human history.” Suno has admitted to training its models on unlicensed music, but maintains its use is protected under fair use principles.
The outcome of this case, and similar lawsuits, will likely set a crucial precedent for the future of AI-generated content and the protection of intellectual property rights in the digital age, impacting artists, labels, and the rapidly evolving AI industry.
