Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke didn't hold back in a new interview, calling generative AI a tech-bro nightmare that steals from artists to spit out pallid facsimiles. He questioned whether AI has any genuine creative originality at all, arguing that its underlying economic structure is morally wrong for failing to credit human creators.
Universal, Warner, and Sony are in talks to license their catalogs to AI music startups Suno and Udio. The labels are pushing for licensing fees and equity stakes to settle ongoing copyright lawsuits, potentially setting the precedent for how AI companies compensate recording artists.
Universal Music, Warner Music, and Sony Music just sued AI music startups Suno and Udio, alleging they illegally trained their models on copyrighted recordings without permission or payment. Led by the RIAA, the labels seek up to $150,000 per infringed work, totaling billions in potential damages. The copyright battles seen in text and images have officially hit AI music, likely forcing eventual licensing deals.
SAG-AFTRA just struck a tentative five-year deal with Warner Music, Sony Music, and other major labels to guard against AI voice cloning. Under the agreement, labels must secure consent and pay compensation before dropping any track that uses a digital replica of an artist's voice—and "singer" is legally reserved for humans.
