Suno, an AI music generation platform, has announced plans to implement new features aimed at improving the transparency of AI-generated music. In a recent blog post, the company detailed its intentions to introduce watermarking and fingerprinting technologies, which are designed to help listeners identify tunes created using its tools.
The proposed measures, however, remain somewhat ambiguous. Suno also indicated a shift in its downloads policy, which will restrict mass distribution of songs across streaming services. These changes come as part of Suno’s commitment to fostering a responsible music ecosystem.
As an emerging player in the AI music space, Suno allows users to create and download music through its AI models. However, the company faced scrutiny after a data breach in July, revealing that its AI was trained by scraping content from platforms like YouTube Music and Genius, raising concerns about copyright issues. Furthermore, in 2024, Suno encountered legal challenges from major music labels, including Sony and Universal, for alleged mass copyright infringement.
While most streaming platforms have not outright banned AI-generated music, services like Spotify are beginning to implement stricter regulations regarding deepfakes and require disclosures for AI-created tracks. Apple Music has introduced Transparency Tags to help users identify AI-generated music, while Deezer has opted not to include such music in its recommendations and does not pay royalties for AI-produced tracks. This raises the question: Are Suno’s new initiatives sufficient to address the concerns of artists, streaming platforms, and record companies?
Representatives from Suno, Deezer, and Apple Music did not respond to requests for comment at the time of publication.
In its blog post, Suno outlined various measures aimed at protecting artists and their intellectual property. The platform claims that artists’ names are not used in the training metadata, ensuring that songs generated do not directly mimic existing works. Additionally, Suno prohibits prompts that reference specific artists or copyrighted songs, focusing instead on musical traits.
The company has also pledged to enhance its monitoring processes by employing third-party technology to detect unauthorized use of music and lyrics. Updates to its community guidelines clarify which practices are permitted and which are not, while its Trust & Safety team will continue to investigate and take action against reported violations.
Despite these efforts, specifics regarding the new watermarking, fingerprinting technologies, and the downloads policy remain unclear. As the landscape of AI-generated music evolves, it remains to be seen how effective these measures will be in addressing the complexities of copyright and artist rights in the digital age.