T-Series, Saregama, Sony Music look to join copyright suit against OpenAI

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. The companies argue that OpenAI has improperly used their sound recordings to train AI models, according to legal documents reviewed by Reuters.

The music labels’ attempt to join the case follows a lawsuit filed last year by Indian news agency ANI, which accused OpenAI of using its content without permission to train AI models. Since then, several book publishers and media groups have also challenged OpenAI in court.

The case adds to OpenAI’s growing legal challenges worldwide, including in India, which is its second-largest market by users. OpenAI, backed by Microsoft, has defended its use of publicly available data, claiming it adheres to fair-use principles.

On Thursday, the Indian Music Industry (IMI) group, along with T-Series and Saregama India, filed a plea in the Delhi High Court to express concerns over the unauthorised use of sound recordings. They argue that OpenAI’s operations in India mean it must comply with Indian copyright laws. The companies called the lawsuit crucial for the music industry in India and globally.

The concerns from Bollywood music labels are significant, given the industry’s massive influence. T-Series, one of India’s largest record labels, releases around 2,000 songs annually, while Saregama, a century-old company, owns a vast catalogue of legendary Indian singers like Lata Mangeshkar and Mohammed Rafi. The IMI group, which represents global music giants like Sony Music and Warner Music, has also voiced concerns that AI systems can extract lyrics, compositions, and recordings from the internet, potentially violating copyright laws.

Does Delhi HC have jurisdiction over OpenAI?

By the end of January, two amici curiae (neutral legal experts) appointed by the court stated that the Delhi High Court did have jurisdiction to hear a copyright lawsuit against OpenAI. They stated that under the Indian Copyright Act, jurisdiction is determined by the plaintiff’s place of business, which, in ANI’s case, is New Delhi. However, the legal experts had differing opinions on whether OpenAI’s use of copyrighted content qualifies as fair use.

The court will now decide whether OpenAI must delete ANI’s data from its training models and whether training AI on copyrighted material is legal in India. The ruling could set a precedent for AI copyright laws in the country and influence how global AI companies operate in India.

All eyes on AI copyright battle

The next hearing in the case is scheduled for February 21, with authors, musicians, news outlets, and book publishers globally watching closely as similar copyright disputes emerge worldwide.

Meanwhile, OpenAI is also facing lawsuits from publishers in the US. The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, and other publishers have sued OpenAI models for the alleged unlawful use of their content. Similar lawsuits have also been filed in European countries who are now deliberating whether use of content in AI training counts as copyright infringement.