Lawsuit accuses generative AI company of illegally profiting from Elvis Presley’s music

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - Elvis Presley Enterprises is accusing a generative AI music company of profiting by more than $50 million from using Presley’s music and likeness, violating a Tennessee state law that aims to protect musicians from AI copyright theft.

The defendant, Suno, Inc., is an online AI music generator that lets users create up to 10 songs a day for free without having to write lyrics or melodies. The Massachusetts-based company was founded in 2022.

In March 2024, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed the Ensuring Likeness, Voice and Image Security (ELVIS) Act into law.

This legislation prohibits the use of AI to replicate a performer’s voice without permission and adds the artist’s voice to existing image and likeness protections in Tennessee.

Elvis Presley Enterprises filed suit against Suno on Nov. 6 in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California.

The rights holders of Presley’s music, estate and legacy describe Suno as an artificial competitor and accuse the company of intentionally, maliciously, and fraudulently benefiting from millions of copyrighted works from artists around the globe, including Presley’s.

The filing begins with a quote from the King of Rock n’ Roll himself:

“The image is one thing and the human being is another… it’s very hard to live up to an image.”

Elvis Presley

The suit alleges that Suno has profited from Presley’s music in an amount believed to exceed $50 million.

“Suno has stolen Elvis’ voice, his image, and likeness (his “likeness” or “NIL”), as well as his copyrighted works on, literally, a breathtaking scale, and must now be called to answer for its theft," the suit reads.

Elvis Presley Enterprises says Suno embodies why the ELVIS Act’s passage was essential.

“All of the humanity, history, despair, and triumph that constitutes Elvis’ identity was stolen and is stored on servers and harnessed by Suno to make massive amounts of money, despite Suno being there for none of what it took to create, maintain, or attempt to live up to this image, and without license, permission, or payment,” the suit says.

Elvis Presley Enterprises is asking the court to issue an injunction against Suno to prevent further infringement.

The suit also demands that Suno impound and destroy all unauthorized copies of Presley’s music and pay damages in an amount to be proven at trial.

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