Warner Music Group reached a landmark settlement with AI music platform Suno over its copyright infringement lawsuit against it, in a move that cements the biggest shift yet in the music industry’s approach to AI-generated music. The deal will enable Suno to launch new, licensed AI music creation models in 2026 but with the intent of compensating and protecting artists and songwriters.
Under the deal, Suno will retire its existing AI models and replace them with more sophisticated licensed ones, while allowing only paid users to download the music. WMG artists can opt-in to allow use of their names, voices, likenesses, and compositions in AI-generated songs, thus unlocking new revenue streams while controlling creative rights.
The CEO of Suno considers the partnership a strategic move for growth that would enhance the experience of its users while extending the platform’s capabilities. This perfectly aligns with WMG’s mission to build artist-friendly AI, which values music and unlocks revenue sources. This deal also involves the acquisition of Songkick by Suno, WMG’s live music discovery platform, further integrating Suno’s footprint in the music industry.
This agreement marks a settlement similar to the one WMG reached with another AI music startup, Udio, and mirrors a larger trend wherein major record labels try to work constructively with AI firms after initial legal battles to balance out innovation while protecting intellectual property rights.
It means a crucial step towards the future of AI music: demonstrating how legal and business collaboration can enable responsible AI music creation that benefits creators and consumers alike.
