Composer Trina Belamide flags risks of AI music platforms amid viral song debate

Read the fine print. Why composer Trina Belamide is flagging the “irrevocable” risks of AI music tools.

Award-winning composer Trina Belamide is weighing in on the growing debate over AI-generated music, urging fellow songwriters to better understand the risks before jumping on the trend.

In a Facebook post, Belamide shared a simplified breakdown of the terms of service of Suno with the help of ChatGPT.

“Checking out Suno (an AI Music platform) and I asked ChatGPT to summarize their Terms of Service. Just wanted to share this with everyone, especially aspiring as well as established songwriters, so we know what we are getting ourselves into if or when we use these platforms,” she wrote.

“Before we start saying ‘If you can’t beat them, join them’ and hop aboard the AI bandwagon, let’s make sure we understand what we decide to get into,” Belamide added.

Citing key provisions from Suno’s 2026 terms, ChatGPT highlighted major concerns for creatives—particularly around ownership, copyright, and control over original work.

Among the most critical points: users on the platform’s free tier do not own the music they generate and cannot use it commercially, while even paid users are only granted usage rights—not full traditional ownership.

Belamide continued that ChatGPT’s report underscored a more controversial clause: any content uploaded to the platform—including lyrics, audio, or voice—can be used, modified, and even sublicensed by Suno on a “perpetual, irrevocable, and royalty-free” basis.

“Don’t upload anything you want to fully control,” she warned.

CHatGPT further noted that AI-generated music may not be eligible for copyright protection, meaning creators could have limited legal recourse if their work is copied or replicated, adding that outputs are not exclusive, with the possibility that other users may generate similar—or even identical—songs using the same system.

The summary also pointed out that users carry the legal risk if their AI-generated tracks end up infringing on existing works, and reminded artists to avoid uploading voices they do not own.

Despite the risks, Belamide acknowledged that AI platforms like Suno can still be useful for certain purposes such as demo creation, idea generation, and social media content.

However, for songwriters building long-term catalogs or working on high-value material, Belamide cautioned against relying heavily on such tools.

Her post comes as AI-generated music—and AI “covers” mimicking real artists—continues to spark debate online, raising questions about authorship, ethics, and the future of the music industry.