Warner Music Group (WMG) is initiating a partnership with the technology start-up Suno to develop an artificial intelligence (AI) music platform, following a previous lawsuit against the firm. This collaboration, arising from a settlement agreement, will allow users to create AI-generated music utilizing the voices and likenesses of artists who choose to participate. WMG represents prominent artists, including Dua Lipa and Ed Sheeran, and was part of a group of music labels, including Sony Music, that took legal action against Suno and another platform, Udio, for alleged copyright violations.
Starting next year, Suno plans to introduce new advanced and licensed models to its generative-AI music service, which enables users to produce music from basic descriptions. The platform, which launched two years ago and currently has about 100 million users, will transition to a paid model for audio downloads, while still allowing access to songs on its free tier.
Suno and WMG emphasized that artists and songwriters will retain control over how their names, images, likenesses, and voices are used in AI-generated compositions. However, Warner did not disclose which specific artists have opted into this program. The partnership serves to resolve prior litigation between the companies, which claimed that Suno and Udio were profiting from imitating existing music tracks, raising concerns over copyright infringement.
In a broader context, the use of AI in music creation has provoked debate among artists, with some expressing fears it could threaten traditional songwriting. This partnership comes on the heels of a letter signed by around 200 artists, including Billie Eilish and Nicki Minaj, advocating for regulations against what they termed the “predatory” use of AI in the industry. Proponents of generative AI argue that machine learning mimics human creative processes.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cjdrl7lr039o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss