Robert Kyncl Defends Netflix's Suno Deal as UMG and Sony Press Ahead with Lawsuit

Netflix executive Robert Kyncl appeared on Semafor's Mixed Signals podcast on August 14, defending the company's partnership with AI music generation platform Suno and outlining why he would build a music service at Netflix. His position, summed up as "you embrace it," signals a bullish stance on AI-generated music at a time of significant industry tension.

That tension remains very real: Universal Music Group and Sony are continuing their legal action against Suno, keeping the question of AI training on copyrighted material squarely in dispute. Kyncl's public defense of the deal puts Netflix in a visible and somewhat contentious position as the broader music industry weighs how — and whether — to engage with generative AI companies.