GEMA Files Historic Lawsuit Against OpenAI Over AI Training Using Protected Song Lyrics
GEMA has filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against OpenAI in the Munich Regional Court, marking the first such legal action by a collecting society against an AI provider worldwide.
The German performance rights organization alleges that OpenAI's ChatGPT was trained on protected song lyrics from GEMA's 95,000 members without proper authorization. The lawsuit names both OpenAI LLC and OpenAI Ireland Ltd. as defendants.
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This legal action follows GEMA's recent introduction of an "AI Charter" and proposed royalties model for AI platforms. The case aims to challenge AI providers' claims that training on copyrighted content and subsequent use of generated content can be done without permission or compensation.
Key points of the lawsuit:
- First collecting society to sue an AI provider globally
- Targets unauthorized use of protected song lyrics in AI training
- Seeks to establish legal precedent for AI copyright compliance in Europe
- Could impact broader AI regulation alongside the EU's AI Act
OpenAI's response indicates they are reviewing the allegations while maintaining ongoing discussions with creators and trade organizations. A spokesperson stated: "We respect the rights of creators and content owners, and believe they should benefit from AI technology."
GEMA plans to host a digital discussion on November 19th featuring CEO Tobias Holzmüller to address generative AI's use of protected media. The organization may pursue legal action against other AI providers based on this case's outcome.
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