SOCAN sues AI platform Suno over alleged copyright infringement

The Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN) has filed a lawsuit against Suno, an American generative AI music platform, alleging the unauthorized replication of musical works. The claim cites 150 Suno-generated songs that are allegedly identical or nearly identical to works by prominent Canadian artists, including Joni Mitchell, The Weeknd, and The Tragically Hip.

SOCAN is seeking $20,000 per work and $10,000,000 for infringement, demanding that the AI company comply with copyright laws and allow artists to control the use of their intellectual property. This legal action follows several other high-profile lawsuits against Suno, including a US$500-million joint copyright lawsuit involving major labels and a class-action suit from musicians such as Jason Isbell.

The litigation highlights growing concerns regarding the impact of American technology companies on the livelihoods of Canadian musicians. Artists have described the rise of AI-generated music as an ‘existential struggle,’ with some reporting that their songs have been used in training datasets without consent.