Major Record Labels Sue AI Startups Suno and Uncharted Labs for Copyright Infringement

The music industry is no stranger to drama, and the latest feud between Drake, Kendrick Lamar, and AI startups Suno and Uncharted Labs is proof of that. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has filed copyright infringement lawsuits against these companies for allegedly using copyrighted music without permission to train their AI systems.

Udio, the AI startup behind the viral hit “BBL Drizzy,” is at the center of the controversy. Founded by former Google DeepMind researchers, Udio aims to make it easy for anyone to create emotionally resonant music instantly. Suno, on the other hand, enables users to create songs with simple prompts and relies on OpenAI’s ChatGPT for lyrics.

RIAA CEO Mitch Glazier emphasized the importance of reinforcing the rules for the responsible development of generative AI systems. He stated that unlicensed services like Suno and Udio exploit artists’ work without consent or compensation, harming the music industry as a whole.

Over 200 artists, including Billie Eilish and Kacey Musgraves, have signed an open letter urging AI developers to respect copyright protections and value the rights of human artists. The lawsuits against Suno and Udio highlight the potential harm that irresponsible development of AI tools could have on artists, labels, and the music industry.

With millions of users generating music files on these platforms, the competition with copyrighted recordings without proper credit or compensation is a major concern. Udio and Suno have yet to respond to media requests for comment on the lawsuits.

As the legal battle between the music industry and AI startups continues, the future of generative AI tools in music creation remains uncertain. Stay tuned for updates on this developing story.