The American Federation of Musicians (AFM) has filed a voluntary dismissal notice in the United States ending its artificial intelligence (AI) licensing lawsuit against Warner Music Group Corp., without prejudice and only as to that defendant.
The underlying case also names Universal Music and centers on allegations that Warner Music and Universal Music failed to share AI licensing revenue with AFM musicians. The union argues that the labor contract’s new use section covers AI. The defendant companies maintain that it does not.
Warner Music’s technical defense#
In earlier filings, Warner Music Group and Universal Music pushed back against the AFM’s central claims. Warner Music Group Corp. argued that it did not sign the AFM labor agreement, did not sue AI platforms Udio or Suno, and therefore did not license either platform.
- Warner Music Group Corp. did not sign the AFM labor agreement.
- It did not sue Udio or Suno.
- It therefore did not license either AI platform.
“To the extent AFM seeks to assert a breach of contract, it is not against Warner Music Group Corp. That is alone enough to dismiss the complaint as to Warner,” Warner Music Group said in the filing.
Warner Music Group, the parent company, has Suno and Udio deals in place, according to its latest earnings transcript, which also references AI revenue expectations.
Dismissal limited to one defendant#
One month after that filing, the AFM made the dismissal official against Warner Music Group Corp., not Warner Records or Atlantic. Counsel for the AFM confirmed that the case itself remains active.
If the case proceeds, the AFM is likely to seek information on how many recordings used in AI training contain contributions from its members, potentially shedding light on the platforms’ closely guarded “training numbers.”
