Music giants begin negotiating AI licensing rights for labels and artists

As artificial intelligence’s influence continues to spread deeper into pop culture, major record labels are starting negotiations with AI companies to ensure they—and their artists—are properly compensated when their music is used to train large language models.

Sony, Warner Music, and Universal Music Group reportedly have begun talks with Suno and Udio, a pair of generative AI startups that allow users to compose new tracks. That could set the bar for how much artists and labels will be paid for their influence on AI-created music—and set up a tracking system that ensures they are accurately compensated for the frequency of use.

The negotiations come as Suno and Udio are facing a lawsuit from the Recording Industry Association of America, which accuses the two companies of copyright inf