SONY SUES UDIO AGAIN OVER 30K UNAUTHORIZED RECORDINGS

The suit marks Sony's continued legal escalation against Udio, making the music giant the only major label to refuse a licensing deal with the AI music generator. Sony's complaint centers on alleged unauthorized copying of its catalog to develop Udio's AI training dataset. The company claims Udio systematically ingested protected recordings to build systems capable of generating music that competes with human artists and Sony's own catalog. This second lawsuit follows Sony's initial legal action and reflects broader industry tensions over AI music generation. The Recording Industry Association of America has also pursued similar cases against other AI music platforms, framing unauthorized training data as a fundamental threat to artist rights and compensation. Unlike Sony, other major labels—including Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group—have negotiated licensing agreements with AI music companies. These deals establish frameworks for compensating rightsholders when their music is used for model training. Udio, backed by venture capital, positions itself as a tool for music creation that complements rather than replaces human artists. The company has defended its technology and disputed previous allegations from Sony and others. The lawsuit adds pressure on the AI music industry to establish clearer legal and financial standards for training data. Courts will ultimately determine whether current copyright law covers AI training scenarios or whether new legislation is needed. Sony's refusal to license with Udio signals the company's preference for litigation over negotiated terms, a strategy that may set precedent for how major labels handle future AI partnerships.