World's Top Music Labels Sue AI Music Creators

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Facts

• Top record labels, including Sony, Warner Brothers, and Universal, have sued two generative artificial intelligence (AI) music startups for alleged copyright violations.¹
• Through the Recording Industry Association of America, they've accused Suno and Udio of using the works of artists of different eras without their consent.²
• Alleging infringement on a 'massive scale,' the record labels filed suits in Massachusetts and New York on Monday, seeking damages of up to $150K for every infringed work.³
• Microsoft-backed Suno, which released its first product in 2023, charges users a monthly fee. The Udio app was released in April.⁴
• In response to the allegations, Suno AI Chief Executive Officer Mikey Shulman argued their tech is 'designed to generate completely new outputs' and creates content without copying existing works.⁵
• The lawsuits come months after around 200 artists, including Billie Eilish and Nicki Minaj, signed a letter calling on the music industry to stop using AI in 'predatory' ways.⁶

Sources: ¹The Register, ²Verge, ³Wired, ⁴Guardian, ⁵Euronews and ⁶BBC News.

Narratives

• Narrative A, as provided by Los Angeles Times. AI poses a significant threat to music labels as the technology builds models using artists' work without consent or compensation. Claims of offering control tools don't help because they only shift the burden onto creators without addressing the core problem of unauthorized use. AI firms must realize that such infringement devalues creative labor. Artists' rights and livelihoods must be protected.

Predictions