The American Federation of Musicians has filed a lawsuit against Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group, alleging breaches of their collective bargaining agreement related to artificial intelligence licensing deals.
The suit, filed on June 5, claims the labels licensed sound recordings to AI companies Suno and Udio without providing compensation or credit to AFM-represented musicians as required under their agreement. According to the complaint, the major labels have refused to share details about which recordings are involved or how proceeds from the deals are being handled. The AFM states that the labels protected their own interests while declining to compensate the musicians whose work was used to train the AI systems. The dispute traces back to 2024 when the labels sued Suno and Udio over unauthorized use of copyrighted material. By fall 2025 the parties reached licensing agreements that included provisions for artist compensation on an opt-in basis. UMG described its relationship with the AFM as strong and said it would address issues through negotiations. WMG expressed disappointment with the lawsuit but said it remained open to continued discussions.
