Jamendo (Winamp) Sues Suno in the US for Unauthorized Use of Music
Winamp Group announced on Tuesday that its subsidiary Jamendo has filed a lawsuit in a U.S. Federal Court in Massachusetts against Suno, a company specializing in generative music artificial intelligence. This action comes days after a similar complaint against Nvidia, challenging the alleged unauthorized use of musical content in AI technology development.
Federal Lawsuit for Unauthorized Use of Musical Content
Jamendo accuses Suno of using musical content and associated data without authorization in the development and operation of artificial intelligence technologies. The lawsuit includes several claims: copyright infringement, breach of contract, unjust enrichment, as well as other causes of action available under U.S. law.
The copyright claims are based on U.S. copyright law and target remedies available under applicable legislation, including monetary damages and injunctive relief. Suno was valued at approximately $5.4 billion in its last funding round.
Legal Damages Up to $150,000 Per Infringed Work
Under U.S. copyright law, statutory damages may be awarded up to $30,000 per infringed work in certain circumstances, and up to $150,000 per work in cases of willful infringement, subject to compliance with applicable legal requirements.
This proceeding is separate from the action taken against Nvidia Corporation on June 23. Both cases raise similar issues regarding the alleged unauthorized use of content in the development of generative artificial intelligence systems, although each involves a different entity (Suno and Nvidia).
Protecting Artists' Rights and Licensing Frameworks
Jamendo believes that the issues raised by these proceedings go beyond its own commercial interests and relate to broader concerns about the use of protectable works in the training and development of generative AI systems.
"The filing of this lawsuit marks an important step in Jamendo's efforts to protect artists' rights in an environment where artificial intelligence is transforming the music industry," said Alexandre Saboundjian, CEO of Winamp Group. "We believe that innovation and respect for intellectual property must go hand in hand to ensure a sustainable ecosystem for creators, rights holders, and companies developing tomorrow's technologies."
