The Munich Regional Court ruled on Tuesday that OpenAI violated German copyright laws by using song lyrics in its chatbot models.
The court stated that the language models and the reproduction of song lyrics in chatbot outputs infringe on the rights protected under copyright law.
The case was brought forward by GEMA, the German organisation managing music rights, in relation to nine well-known songs, including ‘Atemlos durch die Nacht’ by Helene Fischer and ‘Männer’ by Herbert Grönemeyer.
OpenAI was ordered to stop storing and reproducing the lyrics in its models, pay damages, and disclose information about the use of the songs and revenue earned from them.
Belgian rights management organisation Sabam welcomed the ruling, calling it a potential turning point in discussions about generative AI and copyright protection.
Sabam also urged policymakers in Belgium and the European Union to establish clear legal frameworks to safeguard human creativity in a digital world increasingly dominated by AI.
The organisation advocates for transparency in data used to train AI systems, mandatory licences for AI platforms, and fair compensation for artists.
Without appropriate policies, Sabam warned Belgian creators could lose up to €14 million annually in copyright revenue by 2030.
