What happens when artificial intelligence can generate a song that sounds like one of the most recognizable artists in music history?
That’s the question at the centre of two new lawsuits against Suno, the AI music platform that allows users to create songs from text prompts.
The legal challenges were filed on November 6 by rights holders connected to Elvis Presley and Eminem.
The companies argue that Suno has used protected music and artist identities without permission, allowing its technology to generate material that resembles their work.
In one lawsuit, Elvis Presley Enterprises and other rights holders accuse the platform of generating music that imitates Elvis’s voice.
Their complaint invokes Tennessee’s ELVIS Act, legislation designed to protect individuals against unauthorized uses of their voices and likenesses through AI technology.
A separate lawsuit was filed by Eight Mile Style, the music publisher that controls rights to hundreds of Eminem compositions.
The company alleges that Suno copied protected songs during the development of its AI models and can generate outputs resembling the rapper’s music.
But there’s an important distinction: Eminem himself is not personally suing Suno. The case was brought by a publisher that controls rights to his compositions.
Suno disputes the allegations.
The company says its platform is designed to help users create original music and that it prohibits unauthorized use of artists’ identities.
It also says it blocks prompts requesting specific artists or songs and uses safeguards to identify potentially problematic material.
The lawsuits add to a growing legal debate about how generative AI companies train their systems and what they should be allowed to reproduce.
For musicians, the issue goes beyond copyright.
An artist’s voice, style and creative identity can take years to develop. AI tools can now generate convincing imitations within seconds.
And as those tools become increasingly accessible, the music industry faces a difficult question.
If technology can create something that sounds like your favourite artist, who should control it, and who deserves to be paid?
