Hawaii recording artists claim that AI music generation platforms worth billions of dollars have been using their songs without permission or compensation to train their systems. According to The Atlantic's AI Watchdog database, nearly 10 million music tracks from around the world were allegedly taken without artists' consent, with hundreds of those songs coming from Hawaii musicians spanning decades.

Which Hawaii Artists Are Affected?

The scope of the alleged unauthorized use is striking. The database includes classic recordings like Israel Kamakawiwo'ole's "White Sandy Beach," alongside work from contemporary artists such as Anuhea and Kolohe Kai. Na Hoku Hanohano award-winning rapper Thomas Iannucci also discovered his music in the inventory just days ago, learning about it from a friend in the industry.

Iannucci's reaction reflects the frustration many local musicians feel about the situation. "They took these songs without our consent, without asking, without paying, no compensation, and for free, basically, or in other words, stealing," he stated. The Kauai-based artist added that the discovery "felt very predatory. It felt very annoying more than anything else".

Why Are Smaller Artists Particularly Vulnerable?

What makes this situation especially troubling for Hawaii's music community is that the platforms are not targeting only major recording labels or established superstars. "They're not just going after big-time artists, right? They're going after smaller regional local acts, people like myself. We don't have the means or ability to defend ourselves legally," Iannucci explained.

Professional songwriter Chaz Umamoto highlighted the financial disparity driving the issue. "Suno has a $5 billion value...and I know so many artists here that couldn't survive during the pandemic," Umamoto said, pointing out that massive tech companies are profiting from the work of struggling musicians.

What Legal Action Is Underway?

The Atlantic created the AI Watchdog database as part of its investigation into tech companies such as Suno and Udio. Both platforms are currently facing class-action lawsuits for alleged copyright infringement. Iannucci and Umamoto are considering joining the legal action themselves.

However, the legal landscape remains murky. Hawaii entertainment lawyer Julia Brotman noted that while some major cases have provided guidance, the complexity of AI copyright issues means many people avoid litigation altogether. "There have been some big cases that have given us some guidance, but because it's so complicated, a lot of people just don't even touch it. A lot of those cases settle. Because of that, there's actually not a ton of case law to make it really clear," Brotman explained.

How Are Musicians Responding to AI Music Generators?

• Raising Awareness: Iannucci and Umamoto are asking others to be cautious about AI music platforms and to avoid purchasing from them until the copyright issues are resolved.
• Challenging the "Artificial" Label: Umamoto argued that calling these systems "artificial creativity" misses the point. "It is not artificial creativity, it's artificial intelligence, and where that intelligence is being derived from, none of us agreed to that usage," he stated.
• Joining Class-Action Suits: Multiple Hawaii musicians are considering joining existing lawsuits against Suno and Udio to seek compensation for unauthorized use of their work.

The situation underscores a growing tension in the AI music generation space. While platforms like Udio and Suno offer creators new tools to generate music quickly and affordably, the training data behind these systems raises serious questions about artist consent and fair compensation. For Hawaii's music community, the discovery that their work has been used without permission represents both a legal battle ahead and a broader question about how AI companies should interact with creative professionals.

"It is not artificial creativity, it's artificial intelligence, and where that intelligence is being derived from, none of us agreed to that usage," said Chaz Umamoto.

Chaz Umamoto, Professional Songwriter

As of now, representatives from Suno and Udio have not publicly responded to the allegations, though inquiries have been made to their legal teams. The outcome of these lawsuits could have significant implications for how AI music generators source and use training data in the future.