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Sony files another lawsuit against AI music generator Udio
Sony has filed a fresh lawsuit against AI music generator Udio, separate from the joint action it launched with Universal and Warner in 2024 accusing the company of copyright infringement "on a massive scale." The new case matters because Sony is now pursuing Udio alone after its former co-plaintiffs, Universal and Warner, both settled and signed licensing deals with the AI firm, leaving Sony as the sole major label still fighting the company in court.
The new complaint covers 30,117 recordings, including tracks by Alicia Keys, Dolly Parton, Elvis Presley, Beyoncé, Bob Dylan, Britney Spears and Michael Jackson, which Sony says were used without permission to train Udio's models. A court rejected Sony's attempt to add these recordings to its original lawsuit on 29 June, prompting the separate filing; Sony also alleges Udio obtained training audio by ripping it from YouTube, something Udio has admitted to while claiming fair use. Sony is seeking a jury trial and statutory damages of up to $150,000 per infringed work.
In short
- Sony sues Udio again after court rejected adding tracks to earlier case.
- Universal and Warner already settled with Udio via licensing deals.
- Sony seeks jury trial, up to $150,000 damages per work.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Music creators and record labels invest substantially in developing talent and producing recordings, and copyright law exists to ensure they control and benefit from their work. Permitting AI companies to use copyrighted recordings without permission to train competing commercial systems undermines this fundamental principle and the economic model that funds music creation. Protecting creators' rights is not about stifling innovation—it is about ensuring that innovation respects creators and compensates them fairly, as any other commercial use of copyrighted material requires.
The case against
Training AI systems on existing works is fundamentally transformative and different from reproducing or distributing copyrighted material, as the technology learns patterns to generate new, original music rather than storing training data in forms audiences can access. This mirrors how musicians develop artistically by studying their predecessors. Fair use doctrine exists precisely for such transformative purposes, and copyright law should adapt to new technology rather than restrict it. AI innovation ultimately benefits creators and the public, and the settlements reached by Universal and Warner suggest they recognised commercial opportunity rather than pure infringement.
Explained simply
Udio is an artificial intelligence system that generates music based on text descriptions or learns from existing songs. Music companies claim that Udio was trained on copyrighted recordings without permission, teaching the AI to mimic established artists' work. In 2024, Sony, Universal Music and Warner Music Group jointly sued Udio, alleging copyright infringement on a massive scale.
The landscape shifted when both Universal and Warner settled their lawsuits and negotiated licensing deals with Udio, allowing the AI firm to use portions of their music. Sony declined to settle and remains the only major record label actively pursuing legal action against Udio. This puts Sony in an unusual position as it continues alone in court whilst its former allies have made peace with the company.
Sony's latest complaint names over 30,000 recordings it says Udio used without permission to train its system, including songs by artists such as Beyoncé, Bob Dylan and Elvis Presley. A court previously rejected Sony's attempt to add these recordings to its original case, prompting the separate filing. The company is seeking damages of up to $150,000 per recording, which could amount to billions if it wins.
AI Entertainment Music Technology