India's leading Bollywood music labels, including T-Series, Saregama, and Sony Music, are seeking to join a copyright lawsuit against OpenAI in New Delhi, citing concerns about the improper use of recordings to train artificial intelligence (AI) models, according to legal documents reviewed by Reuters.
Also Read: ANI Sues OpenAI Over Alleged Copyright Violation by ChatGPT: Report
ANI's Copyright Lawsuit Against OpenAI
The lawsuit, originally filed by Indian news agency ANI, alleges that OpenAI has improperly used copyrighted content. Since then, book publishers and media groups have also challenged OpenAI in court.
Concerns Over AI Training on Music
On Thursday, the Indian Music Industry (IMI) group, representing global players like Sony Music and Warner Music, T-Series and Saregama India asked a New Delhi court to hear concerns about "unauthorised use of sound recordings" in AI model training, which they claim breaches copyright laws, according to the report. On its website, the IMI Group says it also represents global brands, including Sony Music and Warner Music.
The companies argue that their claims in the lawsuit are "crucial for the entire music industry in India, and even worldwide," according to their court filing, as cited in the report.
Also Read: OpenAI’s ChatGPT Service Only Disseminates Public Information: Report
"In India, the music labels are "concerned OpenAI and other AI systems can extract lyrics, music compositions and sound recordings from the internet," the report quoted an industry source as saying.
The Delhi High Court, after reviewing legal arguments, ruled it has jurisdiction over the case since ANI’s headquarters are in New Delhi.
AI Copyright Lawsuits Worldwide
The latest move by Indian companies follows a lawsuit filed by Germany's GEMA in November. Representing composers, lyricists, and publishers, GEMA accused OpenAI of unlawfully reproducing song lyrics, claiming that ChatGPT was "obviously trained" on them without proper licensing.
Also Read: New York Times Sues OpenAI and Microsoft in Copyright Clash Over AI Training: Report
The case, set for its next hearing on February 21, could have far-reaching consequences for AI copyright laws in India. OpenAI is facing similar lawsuits globally, including from The New York Times and European publishers, as courts worldwide deliberate on whether AI training on copyrighted material constitutes infringement.
