Music AI startups Suno and Udio have enlisted Latham & Watkins, the prestigious law firm representing OpenAI and Anthropic, to defend against lawsuits filed by major record labels Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group, and Universal Music Group.

The labels allege that both AI companies unlawfully used copyrighted recordings to train their AI models, potentially flooding the market with AI-generated music that could compete with and devalue authentic recordings.

The Latham & Watkins legal team includes Andrew Gass, Steve Feldman, Sy Damle, Britt Lovejoy, and Nate Taylor. The labels are represented by Hueston Hennigan and Cloherty & Steinberg attorneys.

The case is expected to center around fair use doctrine, which traditionally allows limited use of copyrighted material without permission. AI companies argue this protection extends to their use of copyrighted works for training purposes, though this interpretation remains untested in court.

Recent investigations by AI music safety nonprofit Fairly Trained have demonstrated that both Udio and Suno can generate music closely resembling copyrighted songs from artists like Jason Derulo, Jackson 5, and Mariah Carey, raising concerns about potential copyright infringement.

This case joins a growing list of AI-related legal battles, including Anthropic's defense against UMG and Concord Music, and OpenAI's various lawsuits from content creators. The outcome could set important precedents for AI's role in creative industries.

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