Sony Sues AI Music Generator Udio Again Over Copyright Infringement
Quick Look
- Sony has filed a new lawsuit against AI music generator Udio, alleging infringement of 30,117 copyrighted recordings, including tracks by major artists like Beyoncé and Michael Jackson.
- This separate legal action follows a court's rejection of Sony's attempt to add these recordings to an earlier 2024 complaint, with Sony accusing Udio of ripping audio from YouTube for training.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Sony had previously filed a lawsuit against Udio in 2024, accusing it of infringing on copyrighted works. The current lawsuit involves 30,117 recordings that Sony attempted to add to the original complaint, but the court rejected the request.
Sony has sued AI music generator Udio again. It's a separate lawsuit from the one it filed in 2024 along with other major music labels, accusing Udio of infringing on copyrighted works on a "massive scale." According to Music Business Worldwide, the new lawsuit involves 30,117 recordings that the AI company allegedly used without permission to train its models. Sony attempted to add the recordings to its original complaint, but the court rejected its request on June 29.
However, the court also said in its ruling that "plaintiffs have the right to seek to stop infringement of, and recover damages for, all copyrighted works." Since the court also mentioned at the time that there was no need for the company to expand that particular lawsuit, Sony filed a new one. The Verge has obtained a copy of the songs involved in this case, and they include some very well known tracks from artists like Alicia Keys, Dolly Parton, Elvis Presley, Beyoncé, Bob Dylan, Britney Spears and Michael Jackson.
In the new complaint Sony also accused Udio of obtaining audio recordings for training by ripping them from YouTube. Udio previously admitted using audio data from YouTube in order to train its models, but it insisted that the act amounted to fair use.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Udio will continue to argue fair use in its defense.
Very likely · Within months
Open Questions
- What specific legal arguments will Udio present for its fair use defense?
- What will be the financial implications for Udio if found liable?
- How will this lawsuit impact the broader AI music generation industry?
