Elvis' Voice Stolen by AI? Lawsuit Claims Vocal Cloning

A new lawsuit has been filed by Elvis Presley Enterprises against AI music company Suno, accusing it of violating the late singer's likeness rights by enabling users to clone his voice. This legal action is among the first major cases to utilize the new ELVIS Act in Tennessee, a statute enacted in 2024 specifically to address unauthorized AI-generated voice and image cloning.

The lawsuit contends that Suno intentionally and fraudulently profited from synthetic replicas of Presley's "unmistakable and iconic voice," asserting that hundreds to thousands of such unauthorized sound clips have been generated. Despite Suno's claims that its models do not mimic specific artists, the Elvis owners presented evidence to the contrary, including outputs derived from lyrics containing Presley's name.

Beyond voice cloning, the suit also reiterates copyright infringement claims, alleging that Suno trained its AI models on Presley's catalog, including hits like "Can't Help Falling in Love" and "Don't Be Cruel." This legal battle, alongside a similar case involving Eminem's music, highlights the growing challenges AI companies face regarding intellectual property and the potential obsolescence of human creativity.

The legal proceedings will test the scope of the ELVIS Act, which broadens liability beyond traditional commercial exploitation of likeness to include technology firms that provide tools for such misuse. The outcome is expected to set significant precedents for AI companies operating in the music industry and concerning the protection of an individual's vocal identity.