Suno replaces its AI models with a new one trained on licensed music as copyright suits pile up

Suno has replaced its AI models with a new one trained on licensed music, a move aimed at addressing copyright suits piled up against the startup. The new model, Suno v6, was developed using data from music labels and distributors such as Warner Music Group, BMG, and Believe. Suno has faced multiple lawsuits from record labels, including Sony and Universal Music Group, and artists like Jason Isbell, alleging the startup used copyrighted data to train its AI models. The company settled with Warner Music Group last year and struck a deal with BMG last month. Suno v6 is not trained using the data it used to train previous versions of its music-generating model. The startup is releasing three versions of the model: The base Suno v6 model is available to paying users, and is said to be reliable and steerable for controlled outputs; Suno v6 wild is an experimental model, also available to paying users, that's meant to be used for ideation and getting unexpected results. Lastly, Suno v6 mini is a faster version available to all users. The company plans to retire its older models. Suno says the new model lineup offers greater flexibility in how you use them. The startup also said it plans to add new features such as letting users remix songs — provided the respective artists opt-in to a new program it is setting up with music labels. Jack Brody, Suno's chief product officer, said the new model release is aimed at creating additional revenue streams for the music ecosystem and its partners. The company recently introduced new download limits based on the account's tier and plans to add a watermark to songs generated using its platform. Despite these efforts, Suno is still facing lawsuits and controversies surrounding its use of copyrighted data and security concerns. The company has raised over $819 million in funding to date, according to PitchBook data.