🎵 Suno Caves to Pressure from Major Labels

The startup signed a deal with Warner Music to put an end to a major copyright lawsuit. In June 2024, the three biggest music labels—Warner Music, Universal, and Sony—accused Suno of using millions of audio recordings to train its AI models.

The labels demanded up to $150,000 per infringed track, with total claims reaching around $500 million. Suno argued that it was fair use, insisting the model creates new music rather than stitching together samples from its training data.

🤝 What's Changing For Users?

Under the agreement, Suno will shut down its current models in 2026 and replace them with new ones trained only on licensed Warner Music content. Artists signed to the label will be able to choose whether to include their work in AI training.

For most of Suno's 100 million users, the service will be much less useful: they'll be able to generate and listen to tracks only inside the platform.

Downloading music will require a paid subscription with strict limits on how many files you can export. In other words, users will indirectly pay the labels through subscription fees.

🧑‍⚖️ Earlier, Udio, Suno's main rival, reached similar licensing deals with Warner Music and Universal. Despite being marketed as "partnerships," Udio faced similar restrictions: their existing models will also be shut down and replaced with specially licensed versions.

What do you think?

❤️ — Fair deal, rules are rules
😈 — Big labels crushed the startups

@hiaimediaen