Major labels are suing AI music startups Suno and Udio

The big three music labels just dropped a legal bomb on two rising stars in AI music generation. The RIAA is leading the charge to take Suno and Udio to court over alleged mass copyright infringement.

What's going on here?

Universal, Sony, and Warner have teamed up to sue Suno and Udio, claiming these AI music platforms have illegally copied a massive amount of their copyrighted recordings.

What does this mean?

The labels argue Suno and Udio ingested "decades worth" of hit songs to train their AI models without permission. The goal? Churn out AI-generated tunes that sound just like the real thing.

But the labels say this is a big no-no. They claim it's not "transformative" or covered by fair use. Instead, it's just copying on an "almost unimaginable scale" to pump out cheap imitations that could flood the market.

The lawsuits want Suno and Udio to stop training on major label music ASAP. They're also seeking major $$ in damages—up to $150k per work. Udio didn't comment, but Suno's CEO claims their tech creates "completely new" music and doesn't just mimic existing songs.

Why should I care?

Because this could be a defining battle over how much leeway AI music companies have when training their algos. Do they need to license every song they crunch? Or is it fair game?

How the courts rule could totally reshape the Wild West of AI music. Either opening the floodgates for startups to train on whatever... or slamming the brakes on the whole scene.

High-stakes stuff. Grab your popcorn, this legal drama is just getting started.