Suno subpoenas Apple Music in AI copyright fight with UMG and Sony; Apple pushes back

The legal battle over AI-generated music has pulled in Apple. Suno, the AI song generator being sued by Universal Music Group and Sony Music, has subpoenaed Apple Music for testimony, and Apple is fighting back, according to Digital Music News.

What Suno wants from Apple

1. Whether Apple Music could survive commercially without major label catalogues.
2. Details of Apple's licensing, royalty and generative AI talks with UMG and Sony.
3. How Apple calculates royalties and minimum payments to labels, including any difference between AI and non-AI music.
4. How common streaming fraud is on Apple Music, and any communications about Suno or the case.

Suno says this information supports its fair use defence and its argument about whether its product causes market harm.

Apple's response

• Apple has asked the court to quash the subpoena or issue a protective order.
• It calls the requests overbroad, burdensome and a grab for confidential competitive information.
• It says it has already produced data on Suno-generated tracks on its platform.
• It says it held more than 10 meetings and exchanged over 90 emails with both sides to narrow the scope.

The motion is set for a hearing on 1 December.

Why it matters

Suno is also reported to have sought information from the Mechanical Licensing Collective, DistroKid and several investors. The case is one of the most closely watched tests of whether training AI on recorded music counts as fair use.