The Recording Industry Association of America has filed two lawsuits against two AI startups, Suno and Uncharted Labs. The lawsuits claim the companies improperly used copyrighted music from popular artists to train their AI systems without obtaining the necessary licenses.
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The lawsuits were filed amid the controversy surrounding the AI-generated track “BBL Drizzy,” produced by Udio, and gained attention amid the public dispute between Drake and Kendrick Lamar. Udio was launched last year by ex-Google DeepMind researchers and boasts the ability to enable “instant creation of emotionally resonant music,” CNN reported. The company recently secured $10 million in a funding round. Suno, the other company listed in the lawsuit, offers a platform that facilitates music creation based on user inputs and integrates OpenAI’s ChatGPT for creating lyrics and titles.
Both companies did not respond to the allegations. RIAA CEO Mitch Glazier explained to the outlet that the lawsuits will help establish the rules for ethically developing AI technologies. He added that the music industry is eager to collaborate with AI developers on lawful and sustainable tools since unauthorized AI services pose a significant threat by exploiting and devaluing artists’ work without permission or compensation.
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Additionally, the lawsuit against Udio states that with proper licensing, AI can help aid human creativity in music. However, if mismanaged, these technologies can have lasting consequences, such as damaging the music industry by degrading new music and undermining cultural aspects.
The other suit against Suno says that the platform attracted 10 million users, generating multiple tracks that have entered mainstream streaming services, directly competing with original music. Despite the extensive use of copyrighted material to create these tracks, Suno allegedly did not seek compensation nor permission from the original artists or copyright holders.
Over 200 artists signed an open letter urging AI developers and tech companies to respect artists’ rights and stop using AI that infringes upon their creative outputs and economic rights.
