Warner Music Group (WMG) will begin an artificial intelligence (AI) music venture with technology start-up Suno – a year after it sued the firm in a landmark case.<\/p>\n
As part of the settlement agreement struck between the two firms, Warner will let users create AI-generated music on Suno using the voices, names and likeness of artists who opt-in to the programme.<\/p>\n
The record label, which represents artists like Dua Lipa, Coldplay and Ed Sheeran, was among several music giants like Sony Music that sued Suno<\/a> and a similar platform called Udio.<\/p>\n AI-generated content has been controversial, with many artists voicing concerns that it could undermine human songwriters.<\/p>\n Starting next year, Suno will roll out new advanced and licensed models to its generative-AI music platform, which allows users to create music based on simple descriptions, said Warner in a statement<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Massachusetts-based firm has around 100 million users and was launched two years ago.<\/p>\n Suno’s 2026 model will replace its existing version and will require users to pay for audio downloads, said Warner. Songs on the service’s free tier can still be played and shared.<\/p>\n Warner said the “first-of-its-kind partnership” will open “new frontiers” in music creation while ensuring the creative community is compensated.<\/p>\n “Artists and songwriters will have full control over whether and how their names, images, likenesses, voices and compositions are used in new AI-generated music,” said Warner. It did not say which artists had opted-in to the program.<\/p>\n “The deal also settles previous litigation between the companies,” it added.<\/p>\n Suno, along with another AI company offering a similar platform called Udio, were sued by music giants Warner, Sony Music Entertainment and Universal Music Group. The lawsuit was announced in 2024 by the Recording Industry Association of America<\/a>, which the BBC has contacted for comment.<\/p>\n The labels accused Udio and Suno of profiting from copying existing songs, claiming the platforms produced tracks that were indistinguishable from work by real artists. <\/p>\n The companies described the use of AI as “wholesale theft” and as part of a trend that threatened the music ecosystem.<\/p>\n