SAN FRANCISCO — The battle over AI and copyright is heating up as a consortium of Bollywood’s biggest music labels, including T-Series, Saregama, and Sony, moves to join a lawsuit against OpenAI in New Delhi, India. The legal dispute centers around concerns that OpenAI may have used copyrighted Bollywood recordings without permission to train its AI models, sparking yet another chapter in the ongoing global debate over intellectual property rights in artificial intelligence.
AI’s Growing Conflict with Copyright Holders
The lawsuit, which was originally filed by independent Indian artists, has now gained significant momentum with the entry of India’s top music conglomerates. These labels control a vast majority of Bollywood’s music catalog, including some of the most streamed songs on the planet. Their legal challenge against OpenAI mirrors similar concerns raised by Western artists, music producers, and record labels over AI’s impact on the creative industry.
The core accusation is that OpenAI may have scraped or processed copyrighted music without authorization during the training of its AI models, possibly violating copyright laws in India. The labels argue that AI-generated content risks devaluing their music catalogs and undermining the rights of artists and creators.
In a statement, a representative from T-Series, India’s largest music label, said:
“Artificial intelligence must not come at the cost of artists’ rights. If OpenAI has used copyrighted music without a proper license, it must be held accountable.”
A Global Copyright Battle Unfolds
The legal battle in India follows similar cases worldwide as the music and entertainment industries challenge AI companies over potential misuse of copyrighted materials. In the U.S., Universal Music Group, Sony Music, and Warner Music have all raised concerns about AI models trained on copyrighted lyrics and compositions. In December, a group of American authors, including George R.R. Martin and John Grisham, sued OpenAI for allegedly using their books without consent.
This growing wave of lawsuits underscores the difficulty AI companies face in obtaining clean, licensed data for training purposes.
How This Affects OpenAI and AI Development
For OpenAI, which has been at the forefront of generative AI, this lawsuit poses a potentially serious legal and financial risk. If Bollywood music labels succeed in their claim, OpenAI could face hefty fines, licensing requirements, or even restrictions on its operations in India—one of the world’s largest digital markets.
This case could also set a precedent for how AI firms handle copyrighted audiovisual content moving forward. If courts rule against OpenAI, it may force AI developers to secure explicit licensing agreements for training data, potentially limiting how AI models learn and generate new content.
What’s Next?
The Indian High Court is expected to review the consortium’s request to join the lawsuit in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, OpenAI has not yet commented publicly on the allegations but has previously maintained that it adheres to fair use principles and seeks to collaborate with copyright holders to find solutions.
As AI technology continues to evolve, the case in India could reshape the rules of intellectual property in AI development, not just for OpenAI but for the entire industry.
For now, the question remains: Can AI learn without infringing on the rights of artists? The outcome of this case might provide a crucial answer.
Stay tuned for updates as the legal battle unfolds