(San Francisco) Major labels filed lawsuits Monday against two music artificial intelligence (AI) startups, accusing them of using copyrighted material to develop their technologies, adding to the many similar complaints filed by other artists against generative AI companies.
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), which notably represents Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group (UMG) and Warner Records, filed a separate complaint against Suno and Udio, two tools that allow you to generate music from a simple query in everyday language.
These two “unlicensed services claim that it is ‘right’ to copy an artist’s work and exploit it for their own benefit without consent or compensation,” RIAA CEO Mitch Glazier was quoted as saying in a communicated.
“They are delaying the promise of truly innovative AI for all of us,” he continued, noting that his association “already collaborates with responsible developers to build AI tools that are built to last, centered on human creativity and that give control to artists and songwriters.”
Neither Suno nor Uncharted Labs, the developer of Udio, immediately responded to requests from AFP.
Numerous authors, visual artists, engineers and newspapers have filed lawsuits since last year against various generative AI companies, accusing them of using their works or work to train their AI models capable of producing text, images, code or information on demand.
The subject was also at the heart of the historic mobilization of Hollywood screenwriters and actors last summer and fall, and recently blocked negotiations between UMG and TikTok to find a new licensing agreement.
After three months of impasse, the social network committed in early May to removing all content generated without authorization by AI.
In April, more than 200 renowned artists, including stars Billie Eilish, Nicki Minaj, Katy Perry and Smokey Robinson, called in an open letter for better protection of creative and copyright rights “against the predatory use of AI to steal votes” from professionals.
Last month, Sam Altman, boss of generative AI leader OpenAI, apologized to actress Scarlett Johansson, who accused him of copying her voice for ChatGPT’s brand new voice mode.
She said in a press release that she had refused the leader the right to use her voice, and said she was “shocked” by the strong resemblance during an online demonstration.
