India’s top Bollywood music labels, including T-Series, Saregama, and Sony, are challenging OpenAI in a copyright lawsuit. Legal documents highlight their concerns about unauthorized AI training using sound recordings.
OpenAI, backed by Microsoft, faces increasing legal issues worldwide. India is its second-largest user market. However, OpenAI argues that its data use follows fair-use principles.
On Thursday, the Indian Music Industry (IMI) group, T-Series, and Saregama India asked a New Delhi court to intervene. They claim AI training violates copyright laws by using their sound recordings without permission.
According to the filing reviewed by Reuters, the lawsuit’s outcome could affect the global music industry. Both OpenAI and the music labels have yet to comment.
The labels aim to support a lawsuit filed last year by Indian news agency ANI. ANI accused OpenAI’s ChatGPT of using its content without permission for AI training. Since then, publishers and media groups, including those backed by Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani, have joined.
Bollywood and Hindi pop music form a massive industry in India. T-Series, one of the country’s largest record labels, releases around 2,000 songs yearly. Meanwhile, Saregama, a century-old company, owns a vast catalog featuring legends like Mohammed Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar.
IMI states on its website that it also represents global labels such as Sony Music and Warner Music. Industry insiders note that Indian music labels worry about AI extracting lyrics, compositions, and sound recordings without authorization.
This legal move follows a similar case in Germany. In November, GEMA, which represents composers and lyricists, sued OpenAI. The organization accused ChatGPT of reproducing song lyrics without a license, claiming the AI model had been trained on copyrighted material.
In India, OpenAI has contested ANI’s lawsuit. It argues that Indian courts lack jurisdiction because the company operates from the U.S. and has overseas servers. The case’s next hearing, which could shape AI copyright laws in India, is scheduled for February 21.
Meanwhile, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman recently visited India. He met with the country’s infotech minister to discuss strategies for advancing low-cost AI development.
