Suno, one of the most prolific AI music generators, is adding watermarks to all audio outputs to address concerns about AI-generated content flooding streaming services. CEO Mikey Shulman announced in a blog post that the watermarks will embed invisible code in the audio waveform, allowing platforms to identify or block AI content. While Suno didn't specify whether it will use an in-house solution or Google's SynthID, Shulman stated the technology is "durable and resistant to tampering" without affecting quality.
However, the watermarking system has limitations. If someone manages to break the watermarks, all affected tracks could lose their AI labels. The approach also doesn't address AI music from other platforms lacking watermarking or open models that can generate unlabeled content on personal hardware.
The timing is significant as Suno faces mounting legal pressure. The company is being sued by Universal and Sony for copyright infringement, and a German court recently found it violated that country's music licensing laws. Additionally, Suno suffered a late 2025 hack that exposed it scraped content from YouTube, Deezer, and other services to train its models. The undisclosed breach may have compromised private information of millions of users, leading to a lawsuit in Massachusetts. Shulman emphasized Suno positions itself as a tool supporting artistic processes rather than a means to generate unlimited content for streaming platforms.