Key holding or allegation
The court denied dismissal of the derivative-work and DMCA §1201(a)(1) claims, while dismissing an unopposed Tennessee consumer-protection count.
Why it matters
Pleading-stage AI-music ruling permitting substantial-similarity and anti-circumvention theories to proceed on circumstantial allegations.
Facts
Independent artists allege Suno downloaded their songs from YouTube, copied them for training and generated music substantially similar to protected elements.
Issues before the court
Whether derivative-work and §1201(a)(1) theories were plausibly pleaded despite no identified plaintiff-specific output, and ultimately whether infringement/circumvention occurred.
What the court did not decide
No finding that any output actually infringed, that Suno circumvented an effective access control, or that training was or was not fair use.
Procedural timeline
U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts
Motion-to-dismiss ruling: Court denied dismissal of the derivative-work and DMCA §1201(a)(1) counts; it dismissed the unopposed Tennessee consumer-protection count.