Highlights
- Warner Music Group settles lawsuit with AI firm Suno and announces joint venture for AI-generated music.
- Artists including Ed Sheeran, Dua Lipa and Coldplay's label will let opted-in performers use AI technology.
- Settlement follows 2024 lawsuit by major labels accusing AI platforms of copyright infringement.
The record label, which represents major artists including Ed Sheeran, Dua Lipa and Coldplay, will permit users to create AI-generated music on Suno using the voices, names and likenesses of artists who voluntarily join the programme.
The agreement marks a significant shift from last year, when Warner joined Sony Music and Universal Music Group in suing Suno and similar platform Udio.
The Recording Industry Association of America announced the lawsuit in 2024, accusing the AI companies of producing tracks indistinguishable from real artists' work and describing their practices as "wholesale theft".
Starting next year, Massachusetts-based Suno, which has approximately 100 m users, will introduce new advanced and licensed models to its platform. The service allows users to generate music from simple text descriptions.
New AI partnership
Under the new arrangement, Suno's 2026 model will require users to pay for audio downloads, though songs on the free tier can still be played and shared.
Warner emphasised that artists and songwriters will maintain complete control over whether their names, images, likenesses, voices and compositions are used in AI-generated music.
The record label described the partnership as "first-of-its-kind" and said it will open "new frontiers" in music creation while ensuring proper compensation for the creative community. Warner has not disclosed which artists have opted into the programme.
The legal battle emerged after around 200 artists, including Billie Eilish and Nicki Minaj, signed a letter in 2024 calling for an end to what they termed the "predatory" use of AI in music. The controversy highlights ongoing concerns that AI-generated content could undermine human songwriters and the broader music ecosystem.
