The companies are accused of violating the collective bargaining agreement regarding revenue from AI companies, writes Billboard.
The record companies have, according to the lawsuit, licensed audio recordings to AI music companies Suno and Udio for use in training AI models. The union says the companies are keeping the profits themselves instead of compensating the studio musicians whose work is fed into the AI programs - something that violates rules on compensation for “new uses.”
The record companies reached an agreement with the AI players in the fall of 2025 after a previous legal dispute. Universal says it wants to resolve the issue through negotiations, while Warner is “disappointed” by the union’s action.
