Artist Rights Groups Unite Against AI Music Company Suno
A coalition of prominent artist rights organisations has issued a stern rebuke to artificial intelligence music company Suno, accusing the platform of exploiting creative works without proper authorisation and undermining the traditional music industry ecosystem.
The open letter, titled "Say No to Suno" and published on The Trichordist blog, represents a unified stance from established industry bodies including the Music Artists Coalition, the European Composer and Songwriter Alliance, and the Artist Rights Alliance.
Core Allegations Against Suno
The signatories assert that "Suno built its business on our backs, scraping the world's cultural output without permission, then competing against the very works exploited." This fundamental accusation centres on the company's training practices, which allegedly utilise copyrighted material without securing proper licensing agreements.
The controversy has intensified following statements from Paul Sinclair, Suno's chief music officer, who defended the platform's approach in a LinkedIn post titled "Open Studios, Not Walled Gardens." Sinclair argued that restricting AI-generated music to closed systems would stifle innovation and limit creative potential.
Industry Response Varies
The music industry's response to AI platforms has been notably divided. Universal Music Group maintains its position in a $500 million copyright infringement lawsuit against Suno, with chief digital officer Michael Nash citing the company's refusal to implement "walled garden" restrictions as a significant obstacle to settlement.
Conversely, Warner Music Group has reached a settlement with Suno, establishing a framework that limits downloads of AI-generated music whilst allowing the platform to operate without complete restrictions. Warner CEO Robert Kyncl emphasised the importance of finding "equilibrium that creates value" rather than adopting absolute positions.
Streaming Fraud Concerns
The artist groups have raised particular alarm regarding recent research from Deezer indicating that up to 85 per cent of streams on fully AI-generated music may be fraudulent or artificial. This data has prompted concerns that Suno may inadvertently serve as what the letter describes as "a fraud-fodder factory on an industrial scale."
Spotify, however, has expressed a more welcoming stance towards AI-generated content, with co-CEO Gustav Söderström noting that "a growing catalogue has always been very good for us" and emphasising that cultural moments ultimately occur on their platform regardless of music origins.
Traditional Values Under Threat
The dispute reflects broader concerns about preserving established creative and commercial structures within the music industry. The artist coalition argues that responsible AI development must operate "within a framework that respects and remunerates artists, enhances human creativity rather than supplants it."
This position aligns with traditional industry values emphasising the protection of intellectual property rights and the maintenance of established compensation structures for creative professionals.
The letter concludes with a call for enhanced legal and technological safeguards to protect creative artists and preserve what they describe as "the spark of human genius" in an increasingly AI-influenced landscape.