AI music generation firms Suno and Udio are being sued for copyright infringement. The lawsuits, filed on Monday in Massachusetts and New York, represent the interests of the “Big Three” record labels, including Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, and Warner Music Group.
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RIAA stated that the lawsuits were a result of the realization that the AI models by Suno and Udio were fed unlicensed music from some of the most famous songs ever produced. This case might become a turning point in the legal framework of relations between AI and copyrighted music.
RIAA uncovers AI-generated tracks mimicking famous hits
According to the RIAA, Udio’s AI music generator created songs that match the original songs by Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean,” the Beach Boys’ “ I Get Around,” and the ABBA’s “Dancing Queen.” The RIAA’s legal documents state that the generated music resembled famous songs in melodies and rhythm, meaning the models used to create the music must have been trained on the copyrighted material without permission.
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Suno is also facing similar accusations. The RIAA claims that Suno’s AI model produced music from segments of famous tracks such as; ‘The Thrill Is Gone’ by B. B. King, ‘Great Balls of Fire’ by Jerry Lee Lewis, and ‘I Got You (I Feel Good’) by James Brown. While one specific track, emulating the unique drumbeats and melody of Chuck Berry’s ‘Johnny B. Goode’ serves as evidence that the model had been trained on the original recording.
“Unlicensed services like Suno and Udio that claim it’s ‘fair’ to copy an artist’s life’s work and exploit it for their own profit without consent or pay set back the promise of genuinely innovative AI for us all.”
Mitch Glazier, RIAA Chairman
RIAA seeks substantial damages for copyright infringement
The heart of the legal battles revolves around the question of whether or not AI firms are allowed to use copyrighted content in the training of their models without first purchasing the appropriate licenses. The RIAA has asserted that the AI companies have engaged in massive copyright infringement since the unauthorized use of those recordings played a part in the development of the AI models that produced imitation versions of the original music.
The RIAA is also demanding monetary compensation and/or damages, which may extend to $150,000 per song. This legal action brings attention to a still-evolving discussion on how far AI is allowed to use copyrighted material and still be legal.
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Nevertheless, there has been increasing attention from the music industry to AI technology. Major record companies are experimenting with how AI could help push creativity further and aid musicians. Some examples include Universal Music Group, which has collaborated with YouTube on the AI text-to-music generator known as DreamTrack and has also partnered with the AI music production company SoundLabs in the development of the artists’ AI voice clone models.
Similarly, Warner Music Nashville recently launched a song created with the help of AI to produce vocals, using the country music star Randy Travis, showing that the industry is ready for the use of AI in new ways.
Cryptopolitan reporting by Brenda Kanana
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