$125M Boost for AI Music: Will Everyone Be a Beat Maker?

A new platform leveraging the capabilities of artificial intelligence (AI) to produce music effortlessly has piqued the interest of venture capitalists. On May 21, Suno disclosed that it has secured $125 million in funding, with the aim of democratizing music creation. The company announced that these funds would be directed towards enhancing their product and expanding their team. Alongside this funding news, Suno unveiled an AI-generated song specially composed for the occasion.

Suno’s journey began about eight months ago with the launch of its initial product, which enabled users to create songs based on simple text prompts. The platform currently allows users to input these prompts to generate songs according to their desired “song description.” Users can choose whether to include vocals or opt for an instrumental version. Beyond just generating the music, the platform also creates album artwork and titles, which can be customized further by the users. Users have the option to modify the AI-generated lyrics and extend the track’s length.

tested the tool with the prompt, “Make me a theme song for the publication .” The result was a two-minute track labeled with the tags “trap, energetic, upbeat.” When asked to create lyrics, the AI generated comprehensive text including lines like: “Blockchain came through and disrupted the scene/ Decentralized power, it’s a whole new regime/ The crypto industry, a wild beast untamed/ on the frontline, never to be tamed.”

Suno claims that 10 million people have already used its platform, including Grammy-winning artists. The tool is gaining traction on social media platforms, with users expressing their excitement. One user praised it as a “gift,” as she was able to create a song for her child. Despite the buzz, Suno is not the pioneer in offering AI-generated music through text prompts.

In the summer of 2023, tech giants Google and Meta introduced their own AI-driven music-making platforms. Suno distinguishes itself even in its free version by allowing the creation of tracks up to two minutes long, compared to Google’s MusicFX, which only offers 30-second tracks. Suno’s offerings also feature different sections and chord progressions, adding a more musical and structured feel to the generated tracks.

The emergence of AI-generated music has ignited significant controversy within the music industry over the past year. Major companies like Universal Music and Sony have taken measures to protect their artists’ copyrighted material from AI developers. A prominent music YouTuber, Rick Beato, discussed AI music on streaming platforms like Spotify with futurist Ted Gioia, referring to it as “ghost music” which populates playlists and earns streaming royalties.

Despite the innovations, skepticism among musicians persists. A survey conducted last year revealed that more than half of the musicians polled were apprehensive about how audiences would perceive the use of AI in music creation. While AI technology advances, the ongoing debate about its implications for the music industry continues to unfold.