SZA Slams ‘Disgusting‘ Musicians Using AI, Says Platforms Like Suno Train on the ‘Best and Brightest Black Minds of Writers and Producers’

SZA launched a sharp critique of artificial intelligence's role in the music industry over the weekend, taking to her Instagram platform to condemn artists who collaborate with AI music generators. The singer, whose groundbreaking 2017 debut album "Ctrl" earned her five Grammy nominations and a devoted following, specifically accused producer Diplo of holding equity in the AI company Suno and allegedly using it to replicate the work of Black musicians. "We make up 13% of the American population yet influence the world with our sound and perspective," she wrote on her private "notmusicatalliswear" account. "I AINT HEARD A WHITE AI SONG YET…We have no protection in legislature medical or creative. The easiest to steal from. DO NOT GIVE AWAY YOUR VIBRANIUM !!! DO NOT TRAIN AI W YOUR GENIUS." Her comments tap into a growing unease within the industry, where many fear that AI tools could erode the cultural and economic value of original artistry, particularly for communities of color who have historically faced exploitation.

A representative for Diplo did not immediately respond to Variety's requests for comment, though the producer has previously expressed enthusiasm for using Suno and AI technology in his creative process. Taking her concerns a step further, SZA posted on her main Instagram account that a search for her name revealed AI models had been trained on 238 of her songs. "If your a musician and you support this degenerate shit ? Your DISGUSTING and there’s NOTHING YOU COULD EVER SAY TO ME TO MAKE THIS OKAY," she wrote. "I hope u have the life u deserve." Representatives for SZA did not respond to immediate requests for comment. A Suno spokesperson declined to comment but pointed to a LinkedIn post from the company’s chief product officer, Jack Brody, who stated last week that Suno’s training metadata does not include artists’ names, cannot replicate material it was trained on, and that the company is increasingly improving impersonation detection. This controversy highlights the broader debate within the music industry, where some artists like Jack Antonoff have called AI music creators "godless whores" and "bad actors," while producers like Will.i.am and Timbaland have invested in AI companies. The tension reflects a fundamental divide: some see AI as a tool for democratizing music creation, while others view it as a direct threat to the livelihoods and legacies of working musicians.

SZA’s label, RCA Records, is owned by Sony Music, which is currently in active litigation against Suno and competitor Udio. In contrast, Warner Music Group and Universal Music Group have settled their lawsuits against the music generators, prompting a separate lawsuit by the American Federation of Musicians against those labels. Diplo, whose real name is Thomas Wesley Pentz and who is known for hits with artists like Skrillex and Justin Bieber, has taken a direct approach by slamming artists who oppose AI. In an April interview, he stated that "there’s no fighting AI" and that he no longer needs human voices for his tracks because "I can get the best voice from AI." He emphasized that "the customer and accessibility is what’s always going to be triumphant," adding that "99% of people are going to wanna love the best product made the quickest, made the cheapest – that’s what the American economy is." In a follow-up X post, Diplo advised artists to "adapt or just like give up and become an uber driver until everyone has a waymo," acknowledging that his stance may not be "cool or classy" but insisting on not "candy coating the future." The producer has a history of pushing boundaries in electronic dance music, but his comments have sparked outrage among those who see AI as a threat to human creativity.

It remains unclear whether Diplo, who invested in the AI research startup Aaru earlier this year, is indeed a Suno investor. Suno CEO Mikey Shulman said earlier this month that "some of the best artists, producers, songwriters and people from across the music industry" contributed to the company’s $400 million investment round, though Suno representatives have declined to reveal which artists those were. Suno is currently testing a model backed by Warner Music Group. This ongoing tension reflects the music industry's struggle to navigate the rapid advancement of AI, balancing innovation with the protection of artists' creative rights and livelihoods. As legal battles and public debates intensify, the outcome could set a precedent for how AI is regulated in creative fields, potentially reshaping the future of music production and ownership for decades to come. Industry experts, such as music copyright attorney Jennifer Wu, note that "these cases are likely to define the boundaries of fair use in the age of generative AI, with implications far beyond just music."