Music Labels' Copyright Battle Highlights OpenAI Challenges

Artists Risk Losing Control Over Their Music's Use, Including AI-Generated Derivatives of the Original Material

- Lata Jha

The copyright suit filed by top music labels such as Saregama, T-Series and Sony, concerned about the unauthorized use of their sound recordings by Microsoft-backed OpenAI, reflects the broader challenges posed to India's music business.

Entertainment and legal industry experts say labels which hold the rights to extensive music catalogues face the risk of their content being used without proper compensation or acknowledgement. This threatens their ability to maintain control over intellectual property and profit from it.

For musicians, vocalists, and songwriters whose works are used to train AI models, there is a risk of being denied rightful compensation. Additionally, artists may lose control over how their music is utilized, including creating derivative works or new content generated by AI systems using their original material.

The Indian Music Industry (IMI), representing major music labels that have filed the suit, declined to comment on Mint's queries since the case is sub judice. T-Series, Sony, and Saregama also declined to comment.