Udio, the AI music generation platform facing ongoing litigation from major record labels alongside its competitor Suno, has launched two new updates including an AI-powered style reference feature.
The new ‘Udio Styles’ is a feature that allows users to generate new music that mirrors the sonic characteristics of existing tracks, Udio said on Monday (March 31), adding that the feature will be available only on uploads of content that users own or control.
The Styles feature targets both individual artists and commercial creators who need to maintain consistency across projects, Udio said. Users can upload audio samples to generate new compositions that maintain similar instrumentation, tone, and feel.
The startup said this feature can be applied in advertising, film scoring, background music, and podcasting, where “consistency in sound is essential.”
“Udio’s new Styles feature makes that process incredibly intuitive—you can feed it your own musical ideas and instantly hear how they take shape across a range of genres. It’s not just inspiring—it opens your mind to new possibilities and helps you evolve as an artist,” said GRAMMY Award-winning keyboardist and composer Jordan Rudess.
“To protect artists and rights holders, Udio’s style reference feature only supports uploads of content that users own or control.”
Udio
The Styles feature arrives less than a year after a group of recording companies including Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group’s UMG Recordings, and Warner Records Inc. filed a lawsuit against Udio and Suno, alleging both companies trained their AI systems on copyrighted recordings without permission.
In August last year, Udio and Suno argued that their use of copyrighted materials falls under the “fair use” exemption to US copyright law, and accused the recording companies of launching the lawsuits to prevent competition.
In what appears to be a response to ongoing concerns about copyright use, Udio said, “To protect artists and rights holders, Udio’s style reference feature only supports uploads of content that users own or control.” The company didn’t explain how it would ensure compliance with the policy.
Udio is also rolling out v1.5 Allegro, an update to its existing AI model, which the startup claims is able to deliver “up to 30% faster output with no loss in quality or consistency.”
Andrew Sanchez, Co-Founder of Udio, said, “These releases underscore our belief that AI tools should enhance artistic expression. With Styles, we’re helping creators explore and extend their own musical identity. And with v1.5 Allegro, we’re ensuring they can do that faster, without compromising quality.”
Udio, which publicly launched in April 2024 with backing from music and tech investors including a16z and will.i.am, says it now has “millions of users globally.”
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