Suno is a music copyright nightmare
The Verge • • general
Key Points:
- Suno, an AI music platform, prohibits the use of copyrighted material but its copyright filters are easily bypassed using simple audio tweaks, allowing users to generate AI covers that closely mimic popular songs.
- By altering tracks with free tools like Audacity to change speed or add noise, users can trick Suno Studio into using copyrighted songs as seeds for new AI-generated music, which can then be monetized on streaming services.
- The AI-generated covers often sound like uncanny valley imitations, lacking the nuance and dynamics of original performances, but remain recognizable and potentially infringe on artists’ rights.
- Independent and lesser-known artists are particularly vulnerable, as Suno’s system sometimes fails to detect their original work, leading to unauthorized covers appearing on platforms like Spotify without proper royalties.
- Streaming services like Spotify acknowledge the challenge of policing AI-generated content and employ various safeguards, but the rapid emergence of AI tools like Suno complicates enforcement, and Suno itself has not responded to concerns.
