Sony Music has ramped up its lawsuit against the AI music platform Udio, alleging the unauthorised use of over 30,000 recordings. The major label recently filed a motion to amend its complaint, which Udio is contesting vigorously. After a lengthy legal battle, Udio only responded to the most recent version of the lawsuit this past April, reinforcing its claims of fair use. This surge in legal action underscores the ongoing tensions between the ‘Big Three’ record labels and the emerging field of generative AI.
The amended complaint is significant, as it includes the addition of several Sony Music subsidiaries and a detailed list of allegedly infringed works. According to the filing, Sony claims to have identified hundreds of thousands of infringing audio files utilising a systematic approach with Audible Magic. Udio’s legal team argues that Sony’s attempts to amend the complaint at this stage disrupt the established timeline.
This legal development follows earlier settlements between Udio and both Universal Music and Warner Music, leaving Sony as the only major label still pursuing litigation. With the judge recently denying Udio’s motion to dismiss Sony’s claims and the ongoing discovery process, the outcome of the fair use argument remains critical.
