Suno's answer in UMG v. Suno admits it obtained audio from YouTube using YT-DLP for training

What happened

On 1 September 2026, Suno, Inc. filed its Answer to the First Amended Complaint in UMG Recordings, Inc. et al. v. Suno, Inc., No. 1:24-cv-11611-FDS (D. Mass., Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV). Responding to paragraph 49 of the complaint, Suno stated, as quoted verbatim by Music Business Worldwide, which reviewed the filing: "Suno admits that audio data was obtained from YouTube for use as training data using YT-DLP." The admission is repeated at several further points in the answer. Suno denied the legal allegations of DMCA Section 1201 circumvention, pleaded fair use as its first affirmative defence, and challenged the plaintiffs' standing for the stream-ripping claim. Warner's plaintiffs settled in November 2025; the remaining plaintiffs are UMG, Capitol and Sony, with 560 recordings at issue in this case.

Why it may matter to you

It is a defendant's own pleading admission — not an allegation — that a major AI music service obtained its training audio from YouTube with a stream-ripping tool, the acquisition method at the heart of the labels' case.

What is not yet known

How the court treats the admission against the DMCA circumvention claims; summary-judgment schedule.