Human Artistry Campaign protests Suno at UBS AI summit amid AI music debate

A plane flew over the Shutters on the Beach Hotel, where the invite-only summit was held, displaying the message “SAY NO TO SUNO”. On the ground, trucks carrying mobile billboards echoed the same slogan, alongside messaging that read “$5 billion for Mikey. Nothing for artists.”

The protest coincided with Suno’s announcement of a $5.4 billion valuation following a new funding round. Suno chief executive Mikey Shulman was among the speakers at the UBS-hosted event.

The Human Artistry Campaign, an artist advocacy coalition focused on AI and copyright issues, sponsored the demonstration. The group has previously opposed the use of generative AI systems trained on copyrighted music without licensing agreements.

Coverage of the protest differed on the scale of the aerial demonstration. The Trichordist reported that two planes were involved, although only one aircraft was independently confirmed at the time of reporting. Claims circulating online showing two planes have not been verified by organisers.

The slogan “Say No to Suno” is not new. It originates from an open letter published in February by a group of music industry representatives, including critics of generative AI training practices. The letter accused Suno of building its systems on unauthorised recordings and described AI-generated music platforms as undermining human creativity in the industry.

Suno has rejected such characterisations and has argued that its technology will be developed in collaboration with rights holders. The company recently stated that it plans to roll out its first music model developed with industry partners in the coming months, including a partnership with Warner Music Group.

Despite this, the company continues to face legal challenges from major record labels, including Sony Music Entertainment and Universal Music Group, as well as collecting societies such as GEMA in Germany and KODA in Denmark, alongside independent artists.

The protest highlights ongoing tensions in the music industry over generative AI, copyright enforcement and the commercial rollout of AI music tools, as companies such as Suno expand rapidly while negotiations with rights holders remain unresolved.