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AI Companies, Copyright Infringement, and the Fight for Independent Creators

Updated: Aug 14


Independent business owners are once again on the front lines, this time in a legal battle against AI companies that have been accused of building billion-dollar platforms using potentially stolen creative works.


Two companies in particular, Suno and Udio, have been named in federal class action lawsuits filed on behalf of independent creators. Why? Because according to their own admissions, these companies trained their AI music generators using music taken from publicly available platforms, including tens of millions of songs. The majority of these songs? Likely created by independent entrepreneurs.


1. When Fair Use Becomes Copyright Infringement


The U.S. Copyright Office recently stated that this kind of unlicensed scraping and copying likely does not qualify as “fair use”. In other words, if an AI company trains its software using your copyrighted works without permission, that is infringement, and you may be entitled to compensation.


This is not just theory. In a similar case involving the AI company Anthropic, a federal judge ruled that using pirated books for AI training data is not fair use. That decision strengthens the position of independent creators who are now seeking justice through the courts.


2. The Power of an Open Letter


As part of the ongoing legal efforts, Delgado Entertainment Law and its class action partners have released an open letter calling on AI companies to stop exploiting creative work and start licensing content properly.


Hundreds have already signed, including respected names like Benn Jordan, Curtiss King, DJ Payne, and Tony Justice, the lead plaintiff in one of the lawsuits.


The letter makes one thing clear: Independent creators are innovators. They are the heartbeat of modern culture and business. Yet, they are often the first to be exploited by new technologies and the last to be protected by law.


This effort seeks to change that.


3. What Independent Business Owners Should Know


If you are a small business owner, creative entrepreneur, or content creator, here is what this means for you:


  • If your work was scraped without permission, you may have a legal claim.

  • Fair use is not a free pass for tech companies to take what they want.

  • Federal courts are listening.

  • You have the right to be compensated.


These lawsuits are not just about one industry. They are about the rights of all creators to own and control their intellectual property.


4. How You Can Take Action


There are several ways to get involved:


  • Join the class action as a plaintiff if your work was used without permission.

  • Sign the open letter to add your name to this movement.

  • Share the message on social media to help amplify this cause.


To learn more or to join the effort, visit: IndieAILawsuit.com


Bottom Line: The fight for copyright protection in the AI era is here. If you want to learn how you can ensure you're properly protected, reach out to speak to one of our attorneys today!



 
 
 
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