Warner Music Group (WMG) and AI music platform Suno have announced a surprising collaboration: WMG will now license the likenesses of its artists for use in AI-generated music. This means users will soon be able to create songs using the actual voices of performers signed to Warner – a feature previously blocked by ongoing legal disputes.
The End of the Lawsuit
The deal comes with a key condition: WMG has dropped its copyright lawsuit against Suno. The lawsuit, filed earlier this year, accused Suno of allowing users to illegally clone artists’ voices without permission. Now, instead of fighting, WMG is monetizing the technology.
How It Works
Under the new arrangement, Suno will allow artists who opt in to have their vocal styles replicated by its AI. Users will then be able to select those voices when creating their own tracks. The terms of revenue sharing between WMG, Suno, and the participating artists have not yet been disclosed.
Why This Matters
This move marks a significant shift in how the music industry views AI. Previously, labels were aggressively fighting against AI voice cloning, citing copyright violations and artist exploitation. Now, WMG is not only accepting the technology but actively profiting from it.
This could set a precedent for other major labels to follow. If successful, it could open up a new revenue stream for artists, but also raises ethical questions about the authenticity of music and the potential for misuse of artists’ likenesses.
The music industry’s stance on AI is evolving rapidly: from outright hostility to cautious collaboration. Warner’s decision suggests that licensing, not litigation, might be the future of AI-generated content.
