The legal battles surrounding generative AI and copyright continue to escalate with prominent players in the Indian music industry now seeking to join an existing lawsuit against OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT. On February 13, 2025, industry giants such as Saregama, T-Series, and the Indian Music Industry (IMI) presented their concerns in a New Delhi court, arguing that OpenAI's methods for training its AI models involve extracting protected song lyrics, music compositions, and recordings without proper licensing or compensation. This development follows a broader trend of copyright holders challenging generative AI companies, as evidenced by similar claims in the U.S. and Europe.
This case was originally filed by Asian News International (ANI), a leading Indian news agency, which alleged that OpenAI had used its copyrighted content without permission to train its AI models. Since then, the lawsuit has drawn interest from music companies, book publishers, and news organizations, all highlighting the alleged economic harm and intellectual property concerns stemming from these practices in India. The proceedings emerge amid a global backlash against the use of copyrighted materials in AI training. In November 2024, GEMA, Germany's music licensing body, filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging that the company reproduced protected lyrics without authorization. In parallel, lawsuits from authors and publishers in the U.S. have accused OpenAI and other AI platforms of improperly using copyrighted materials as training data.
The unfolding litigation raises critical questions about the
boundaries and applicability of ‘fair use' within the
context of AI in the digital age. While OpenAI maintains that its
reliance on publicly available data falls within fair use
principles, commentators warn that a ruling against the tech giant
could set a precedent that reshapes AI training practices not only
in India but worldwide—given the global nature of AI
development and jurisdiction-specific nuances of copyright law. As
courts grapple with these complex issues, both creative industries
and the broader tech community are watching closely to understand
how emerging precedent and legal frameworks around the world might
influence future AI development and deployment.
As legal challenges mount globally, this litigation is another
reminder for businesses developing AI models or integrating AI
technologies to proactively assess data privacy and sourcing
practices, secure appropriate licenses for copyrighted content, and
thoroughly review existing agreements and rights to identify any
issues or ambiguities regarding the scope of permitted AI use
cases. Beyond obtaining necessary licenses, companies should
implement targeted risk mitigation strategies, such as maintaining
comprehensive records of data sources and corresponding licenses,
establishing internal and (where appropriate) external policies
that define acceptable AI use and development, and conducting
regular audits to ensure compliance. For any company seeking to
unlock AI solutions and monetization opportunities while
safeguarding its business interests, engaging qualified local legal
counsel early in the process is essential for effectively
navigating the evolving global patchwork of fair use, intellectual
property laws, and other relevant regulations.
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