Suno challenges Apple’s bid to block testimony in AI music copyright fight

Suno is pushing back against Apple’s effort to block testimony in its copyright battle with Universal Music Group and Sony Music. In an October 27 filing, the AI music company argued that questions about Apple’s label deals could support its defenses, AllHipHop reported, citing Digital Music News. Apple says the demand reaches private commercial information.

The confrontation is part of a wider fight over evidence held by companies outside the lawsuit. Billboard described subpoena challenges involving Apple Music, music distributors and Suno’s investors after an October 14 deadline for third-party subpoenas. Both sides want records that could help answer a central question: whether AI-generated songs compete with the recordings used to train Suno.

Apple draws a line between records and testimony

Apple says it has already complied with six document subpoenas from Suno and the labels. Its disclosures included detailed data about Suno-generated music on Apple Music, plus information about how it detects and tags AI tracks. It argues that Suno’s additional demand for a representative’s sworn testimony, covering subjects including label licensing and streaming fraud, is overbroad.

Suno’s opposition ties four narrowed topics to its fair-use and copyright-misuse defenses. They cover label licensing and AI negotiations; Apple’s prospects without major-label catalogs; streaming fraud; and communications about the case, including those involving label agents. Suno alleges Universal and Sony used their catalogs to secure AI restrictions, including limits on Apple’s ability to offer AI-generated content.

The company also pointed to guaranteed royalties and rules excluding AI tracks from royalty pools. Apple counters that relevant evidence can come from the labels themselves. Its request to cancel the testimony demand or protect its information is listed for December 1, 2026.

Both sides seek a measure of market harm

Universal and Sony accuse Suno of training on their recordings without permission and argue that generated tracks compete with those recordings. Suno claims fair use. One factor in that legal test is the effect on the market for the copyrighted work—a reason streaming activity has become evidence sought in a case about AI training.

Suno has petitioned for evidence from the Mechanical Licensing Collective, which collects and distributes certain digital royalties to publishers and songwriters. It says the group has not complied with a subpoena seeking data on streaming-market changes after Suno launched in 2023. Suno argues those records bear on the labels’ claims about lost market share and royalties.

The labels, meanwhile, want monthly totals from distributor DistroKid for AI-generated tracks, streams and royalties. They say the figures could show competition with human-made music. DistroKid has refused, arguing that the data has no bearing on whether Suno’s training was lawful.

Investors’ records—and listening habits—enter the case

The labels are also pursuing evidence from investors. Lightspeed Venture Partners has asked a court to cancel a document subpoena seeking materials including Suno’s pitch decks. Universal and Sony separately petitioned to compel Bond Capital Management to supply records connected to its participation in Suno’s $400 million Series D round in June.

Their argument is that Bond would have evaluated Suno’s copyright exposure, training practices and intended market before investing. They want that assessment and what Suno told the firm to obtain its capital. On October 26, the labels won permission to depose former Menlo Ventures principal C.C. Gong after she publicly said she had shifted most of her listening to Suno.

The labels view Gong’s statement as evidence that AI music replaces human songs. Permission to question her is an evidence-gathering ruling, not a decision on Suno’s fair-use defense. Discovery—the process of collecting records and testimony—is scheduled to continue through mid-2027.