Universal Music Group (UMG) and Suno remain at odds over evidence concerning AI training rights and potential market harm in their copyright case. The issues arose during a discovery conference lasting roughly 80 minutes, 29 months after the major labels filed their initial complaint against Suno.
A central question is whether AI-generated audio reduces the market for recorded music or its value, an issue tied to Suno’s fair use defense. Suno argues that uncertainty over training rights and artist consent also raises questions about whether a viable market for licensing recordings for AI training exists.
UMG executive vice president of digital business development and strategy Jonathan Dworkin is expected to supplement his earlier deposition in writing, focusing on AI detection and tracking disclosures from Spotify.
Britt Lovejoy of Latham & Watkins said some artist agreements, including Sony agreements dating to the 1980s, do not address AI training. Counsel for UMG and Sony responded that neither company has affirmatively determined it lacks training rights for recordings in its catalog.
Suno is expected to provide copies of its agreements with Believe and BMG, but not documents from the negotiations. The parties have also reached an “at least conceptual theoretical resolution” of disputes over performance and financial data, with a joint report due in one week.
The conference also addressed concessions the major labels made to secure AI-related protections against market dilution in licensing agreements with digital service providers (DSPs). Discussions continue, and further depositions of DSP executives remain possible.
