Suno, the artificial-intelligence music generation company, has hired two experienced music-industry executives into vice-president roles as it seeks to position itself as a partner to the sector rather than an adversary. Grace James, formerly of Atlantic Records, joins as vice-president and head of artist marketing and editorial, while Christian Bowne, previously YouTube's head of major label business development, becomes head of music business development. The appointments matter because they signal Suno's push to build industry relationships even as it remains embroiled in litigation and controversy over how its models are trained.

James, who led marketing campaigns for artists including Lizzo, FKA Twigs and Ed Sheeran and has held roles at Roc Nation and Tidal, will market Suno's artists, including those from its Spark incubator. Bowne, who worked on licensing and helped launch YouTube Shorts, will develop the company's licensing strategy. The hires come against a mixed industry backdrop: Warner Music Group settled its lawsuit and plans to back a new Suno model, but Universal and Sony remain in active litigation. Suno also faces criticism, including from SZA over its training data, following an Atlantic database revealing which songs are used to train AI generators. The firm recently raised $400 million at a $5.4 billion valuation.