Warner Music Group and Suno Announce Landmark AI Licensing Partnership
New York, NY – Warner Music Group (WMG) and AI music startup Suno have announced a groundbreaking licensing agreement that will allow users to generate music utilizing the voices and likenesses of WMG artists who opt-in, opening new avenues for creative expression and artist compensation.The deal marks a critically important shift in the music industry’s approach to artificial intelligence, moving from legal battles to collaborative opportunities.
Under the agreement, artists will retain “full control” over how their work is used in AI-generated creations, according to WMG. Suno plans to leverage licensed music from WMG to develop advanced music generation models, aiming to surpass the capabilities of its current v5 model. ”These will be new creation experiences from artists who do opt in, which will open up new revenue streams for them and allow you to interact with them in new ways,” Suno stated, adding that users will be able to “build around” an artist’s sounds “and ensure they get compensated.”
the partnership resolves a previous copyright infringement lawsuit filed by WMG against Suno, alleging the unauthorized scraping of copyrighted material. As part of the agreement, WMG has dropped the suit.
Beginning next year,Suno will require users to subscribe to a paid account to download generated songs,with download limits varying by subscription tier. This move signals a transition towards a lasting business model for AI music creation, balancing accessibility with artist remuneration. The proclamation follows a growing trend of record labels exploring AI partnerships, raising broader questions about copyright and the future of music creation.
