Google sued over unauthorized AI training on YouTube music
Independent musicians sued Google alleging their songs were used to train the Lyria 3 audio generation model without authorization or compensation. Google filed a motion to dismiss arguing that YouTube's terms of service authorize such use of uploaded content.
What happened
In February 2026, Google launched Lyria 3, an audio generation model through Gemini that creates songs based on user prompts. In March 2026, a group of independent artists filed a copyright infringement lawsuit alleging their music was used to train Lyria 3 without compensation.
Reported impact
The plaintiffs—singer Sam Kogon, producer Magnus Fiennes, songwriter Michael Mell, R&B group Attack the Sound, folk rock duo Stan Burjek and James Burjek, and Chicago-based band Directrix—alleged their works were used in training the model without authorization or payment.
Index analysis
Google's motion to dismiss argues that YouTube's terms of service grant the company a 'broad license' to use uploaded content, including for training AI models. Google did not confirm whether it actually used the plaintiffs' music to train Lyria 3, instead resting its defense on the hypothesis that such use would be authorized under the terms users accepted.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.