Elvis Presley’s rights holders have sued AI music company Suno over alleged copyright violations and unauthorized imitations of the singer’s voice.
Elvis Presley Enterprises, ABG EPE IP and other plaintiffs filed the lawsuit Nov. 6 in federal court in Northern California. Their claims draw on Tennessee’s ELVIS Act and federal copyright law.
What the Elvis Presley Lawsuit Alleges
The complaint alleges Suno copied protected music without permission to train its AI models. It also accuses the service of generating tracks that reproduce copyrighted material or imitate Presley’s recognizable voice.
For example, the lawsuit identifies “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” “All Shook Up” and “Don’t Be Cruel.” It includes audio examples that the plaintiffs say demonstrate unauthorized uses.
In addition, the plaintiffs accuse Suno of bypassing technical safeguards and removing information identifying copyright owners. They seek damages and a court order stopping the challenged uses. These remain allegations, not court findings.
A Test of Tennessee’s ELVIS Act
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signed the ELVIS Act in March 2024. Its full name is the Ensuring Likeness, Voice and Image Security Act.
The law expanded Tennessee’s personal rights protections to include voice and address AI impersonation. Previously, the state’s law expressly protected names, photographs and likenesses.
The Presley lawsuit therefore raises two distinct concerns. One involves the alleged copying of protected songs. The other concerns the alleged use of AI to imitate an identifiable singer’s voice.
What Suno Says
Suno says its service helps users create original music and prohibits unauthorized uses of artists’ work. A spokesperson outlined that position to The Verge, according to Music Business Worldwide’s reporting.
The company also described its safeguards in an August statement about its policies. When a prompt includes an artist’s name, Suno says it replaces that name with descriptions of musical characteristics.
Additionally, Suno says outside services screen uploaded audio and lyrics for potential misuse. Its policies prohibit using another person’s voice or likeness without permission.
However, those policies do not settle the lawsuit’s central questions. The plaintiffs contend that Suno’s service enables unauthorized copying and voice imitation despite its restrictions.
Meanwhile, streaming services face related questions about how listeners encounter AI music. King Kulture has also covered Spotify’s treatment of AI artist profiles and spam.