Universal Music Settles Copyright Dispute with AI Firm Udio, Announces New Partnership
Universal Music Group has resolved its copyright litigation against AI music startup Udio, transforming a legal confrontation into a collaborative venture. The settlement clears the path for a jointly developed AI-powered music creation platform slated for launch in 2025.
The new subscription service will enable fans to produce original tracks and remixes using licensed content from Universal's catalog. Participating artists must opt-in to include their works, with all user-generated content remaining confined to Udio's ecosystem. The platform will employ generative AI trained exclusively on authorized material, creating a legally compliant environment for musical experimentation.
This agreement concludes litigation initiated earlier this year by Universal, Sony, and Warner against Udio and competitor Suno. The major labels had alleged unauthorized use of copyrighted recordings to train AI models. Financial terms of the settlement remain undisclosed.