A smartphone displaying the logo of the AI platform Suno (2024)

In a significant move, Danish music creators' organization Koda has announced it is taking legal action against the American platform Suno, which uses artificial intelligence to generate music. According to Koda, Suno has allegedly trained its AI on copyrighted works by renowned artists such as Aqua, MØ, and Christopher without authorization, transparency, or compensation.

Koda's accusation points to a potential breach of copyright laws, as it claims Suno has used protected works without informing about the music choices or the ways in which they were utilized, leaving composers uncompensated. The organization argues that Suno's AI-generated compositions, which mimic these copyrighted tunes, compete directly with official music releases.

"We are excited about what responsible AI can contribute to music," said Gorm Arildsen, CEO of Koda, in a statement. "However, innovation cannot be built on stolen goods." This sentiment echoes a growing concern within the global music industry about AI's impact, as companies like Suno are alleged to be siphoning protected works without appropriate licensing or payments.

The music industry is embroiled in a worldwide tussle with AI-based music companies over copyright issues. The Recording Industry Association of America, in June 2024, filed a lawsuit against Suno and its competitor Udio, accusing them of mass copyright violations with no significant progress made so far.

Simultaneously, negotiations have been unfolding between major industry players such as Universal, Warner, and Sony with these AI companies. Recently, Universal and Udio inked a deal to launch a groundbreaking AI-driven music creation platform slated for 2026. This new platform promises advanced AI capabilities built on properly licensed musical resources.

Koda is advocating for a universal standard to ensure the consent and fair compensation of music creators whose works are leveraged by AI companies. The organization warns that if AI development continues unchecked, it could lead to a 28% revenue loss for Denmark's music industry by 2030.