Amid legal battles, Suno says it will start watermarking songs

Suno, an AI-powered service enabling users to generate songs, has announced new measures to combat misuse of its creations amid a series of legal battles. The company intends to start watermarking songs, limiting downloads, and updating community guidelines to prevent the creation of copycat tracks. Co-founder and CEO Mikey Shulman emphasized the platform's commitment to original creation while providing more individuals with access to music-making tools through its AI technology.

The primary issue at hand involves users uploading AI-generated songs to other streaming platforms and exploiting the system to generate revenue. To address this, Suno plans to employ audio watermarking and fingerprinting to prevent unauthorized use across various streaming services. While it remains uncertain whether Suno will utilize an existing solution like Google's Synth ID or develop a new one, the company has not disclosed a timeline for implementation.

Additionally, Suno has entered into an agreement with lyrics provider Musixmatch to utilize its Sentinel system for copyright detection. The startup aims to create durable and tamper-resistant tools that do not compromise the listening experience. Shulman stressed that these measures are not meant to judge the quality or authenticity of a song but rather to provide transparency options for artists and platforms.

Suno is also set to implement a new download policy prohibiting mass distribution on streaming platforms, although specifics regarding this policy have not been revealed. The company has revised its community guidelines to explicitly prohibit deceptive audio presented as real and the unauthorized use of a real person's voice or likeness.

Suno, which raised $400 million in a Series D funding round in June, is currently embroiled in multiple legal disputes. The startup is facing a lawsuit from Universal Music Group and Sony Music Group, coordinated by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Recently, a German court ruled in favor of GEMA, a government-mandated licensing agency, holding Suno responsible for copyright infringement.

Moreover, Suno experienced a data breach in November 2025, which exposed the personal information of 55 million users. The platform is now facing a class-action lawsuit in Massachusetts, alleging that it failed to implement adequate security measures in favor of profit.