Thievery or innovation? The music industry grapples with AI

Bill Stiteler, known online as Saxboy Billy, along the Saskatchewan River in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, Aug. 27, 2026. Stiteler created The Puerto Rico Song, which has been streamed on Spotify 20 million times, using the A.I. tool Suno. Some labels have sued A.I. music generators like Suno. Others have partnered with them. (Matt Smith/The New York Times) By BRENT CRANE Comedian Bill Stiteler didn’t follow a conventional path to pop music stardom. In fact, he doesn’t really see himself...