GEMA sues for fair compensation
GEMA is the first collecting society worldwide to file a lawsuit against a provider of generative artificial intelligence (AI) systems that have used copyright-protected musical works to train their systems without having acquired licenses.
January 2025: Lawsuit against Suno AI
Suno AI generates songs (audio files) using generative AI. The results that Suno AI delivers are in some cases so similar to well-known songs that they infringe the authors copyright.
November 2024: Lawsuit against Open AI (ChatGPT)
GEMA accuses Open AI of reproducing protected song lyrics by German authors in its tool ChatGPT without having remunerated the authors of the works used.
GEMA sues Suno AI
Suno AI makes it possible to generate playable audio content using simple commands (prompts). GEMA was able to document that the system outputs content that obviously infringes copyrights. In terms of melody, harmony and rhythm, this content largely corresponds to world-famous works whose authors GEMA represents. The songs affected include those by Alphaville (Forever Young), Kristina Bach (Atemlos), Lou Bega (Mambo No. 5), Frank Farian (Daddy Cool) and Modern Talking (Cheri Cheri Lady).
The results clearly show that Suno Inc. has systematically used GEMA's repertoire for the training of its music tool and is now exploiting it commercially without giving the authors of the works a financial share.
This is how Suno's plagiarisms sound
Julia Blum, musicologist at the GEMA music service, uses the recordings and leadsheets to show the similarities between the original song ‘Daddy Cool’ (Boney M.) and the AI plagiarism by Suno AI. Listen to the soundfiles and hear yourself!
“Daddy Cool“ – Boney M.
AI version
Original song (1976)
“Forever Young“ – Alphaville
AI version
Original song (1984)
GEMA sues Open AI
OpenAI has become the world's leading provider in the field of generative AI and now boasts annual sales over two billion dollars. In 2024, the company is aiming for sales of up to five billion dollars. Its AI-supported language system or chatbot, ChatGPT, was trained with copyrighted texts, including song lyrics from the repertoire of around 95,000 GEMA members. These authors have not yet been paid for the use of their works.
GEMA therefore filed a lawsuit against the American parent company, OpenAI, LLC, and against OpenAI Ireland Ltd., the chatbot’s operator in Europe. The lawsuit‘s subject is the chatbot’s unlicensed reproduction of song lyrics. When simple prompts are entered, the chatbot reproduces the original song lyrics with which the system has obviously been trained.
"The new technology presents us with fundamental legal questions that we absolutely must clarify. This is the only way we will succeed in establishing a licensing model on the market that strikes a fair balance between creators‘ and exploiters‘ interests. Our model procedure makes a decisive contribution to this. However, it also shows that we are prepared to enforce the rights to which authors are entitled."Dr. Kai Welp, General Counsel of GEMA
"Our members‘ songs are not free raw material for generative AI systems providers‘ business models. Anyone who wants to use these songs must acquire a license and remunerate the authors fairly. We have developed a license model for this. We are taking and will always take legal action against unlicensed use."Dr. Tobias Holzmüller, CEO of GEMA
"Last week, we made it clear with GEMA's AI Charter that human creative achievements must not be used as a free template for the offerings of AI providers in a deeply commercial exploitation chain. Likewise, we cannot accept that copyright infringements occur in the output of chatbots. GEMA's lawsuits send an important signal: the livelihood of us creative professionals is at stake."Dr. Ralf Weigand, Supervisory Board Chairman of GEMA
FAQ on the AI lawsuit
Yes, that is correct. GEMA is currently conducting two lawsuits against providers of generative artificial intelligence systems. Firstly, GEMA is taking legal action against the American music tool provider Suno. This can be used to create playable audio content using simple prompts. The proceedings are being conducted before the Munich Regional Court.
In November 2024, GEMA had already filed a lawsuit against OpenAI Ireland ltd, the operator of the AI tool ChatGPT in Europe, and its parent company OpenAI L.L.C. at the Munich Regional Court. These proceedings relate to the creation of song lyrics by ChatGPT.
GEMA will examine whether it will initiate legal action against other AI providers in the future. The aim of these lawsuits is to obtain a licence fee for the authors and music publishers on whose works the AI models and systems are based. The success of AI models and systems is based on the content with which they have been trained. It is therefore only fair that those who created this content should receive a share of the revenues generated.
Technological developments in the AI sector have opened up completely new possibilities for generating music. GEMA is generally in favour of this. It sees AI systems as an important tool in the creative process. However, if content is used by its members to train the models and systems, they must be fairly remunerated for this.
GEMA has discovered that the music tool Suno can be used to generate audio content that is very similar to original works from the GEMA repertoire. The creation of the recordings in the systems infringes the reproduction rights of the original authors on the one hand and the reproduction of the recordings infringes the right of making available to the public on the other. Furthermore, the created recordings prove that the music tool was trained with GEMA works. Although GEMA does not administer the rights of the performers, the similarity of the vocal colour to the best-known performers is a strong indication of this. In addition, these recordings are very similar to the original works in terms of melody and rhythm.
With ChatGPT, GEMA was able to establish that song texts of works (lyrics) whose rights it administers are made available to the general public. This is only possible because this tool was previously trained with these lyrics. Neither the training of the AI nor the reproduction of the lyrics has ever been remunerated by OpenAI. However, making protected works available to the public is already subject to a licence under current law. GEMA would like to enforce this position in favour of the creators against OpenAI and has therefore filed a lawsuit.
With the lawsuits, GEMA is seeking a fair share for authors in the use of their works by corresponding AI tools. However, GEMA is not seeking to prevent the use of GEMA works by AI systems in general.
Yes, this is provided for by law. Legislation does authorise text and data mining, i.e. the systematic internet searching to obtain information about patterns, trends and correlations. However, whether the training of AI models and systems is permitted on this basis alone is highly controversial. In addition, the authors have the option of so-called opting out. This means they can declare that their works may only be used to train AI systems under licence. GEMA has declared this opt-out on behalf of its members. This is intended to ensure that authors receive an appropriate share of the income generated by AI systems. The systems can only produce music recordings because they have been trained with protected works. GEMA members earn their living by licensing their work. GEMA wants to prevent the big tech giants alone from benefiting from the new technology. It is to be feared that revenue generated by their works, which is how these authors earn their living, will in future bypass them and flow to these large companies’ shareholders. This would remove the incentive to be creative. However, human creation is still necessary in the age of AI. AI systems do not work creatively. Their output is based on probability calculations. They have to learn the necessary parameters from human-created works.
Yes and, in addition, for some years now, GEMA members have also had the option of granting GEMA so-called “graphic rights”, i.e. the rights to the written text image. For example, GEMA not only grants rights to stream music but to simultaneously display the lyrics to major music services via its subsidiaries All authors and music publishers involved in the lawsuit have also given GEMA their separate consent to invoke the graphic rights in the lawsuit.
GEMA is hoping to guarantee fair participation for authors in the use of their copyright-protected works by generative AI. The lawsuits are test cases to clarify numerous legal issues. The aim is to specifically refute the objection of the providers of AI models and systems that the training and subsequent use of the generated content is possible without remuneration and without the authorisation of the rights holders. GEMA wants to establish a licence model on the market in which the training of the systems, the generation of output and the further use of the output are licensed.
In addition, the lawsuits and the resulting media presence are intended to initiate a public discussion on the topic of copyright and AI.
GEMA is generally interested in out-of-court solutions with the AI providers. To this end, it has drawn up a licence model on the basis of which authors can be appropriately remunerated for the use of their works. However, if the providers refuse to accept licence solutions, GEMA will continue to enforce the rights to which its members are entitled.
Press material
Press photos of the quote givers
Graphics with quotes on the lawsuit against Suno AI
Artificial intelligence in music: information, articles, backgrounds
For all those who want to find out more about AI and music, we offer texts, graphics, background information and press releases on this page.
(Only in German)
Licensing model for generative artificial intelligence (AI)
AI charter
Analysis of the impact of AI on the music industry
AI section in the GEMA Newsletter
Die GEMA klagt für eine faire Entlohnung.
Ist es richtig, dass die GEMA gegen Anbieter von KI-Systemen Klage eingereicht hat?
Ja, das ist richtig. Die GEMA hat Klage gegen OpenAI Ireland ltd., die Betreiberin des KI-Tools „ChatGPT“ in Europa und deren Muttergesellschaft OpenAI L.L.C. vor dem Landgericht München erhoben. Die GEMA wird prüfen, ob sie künftig noch gegen weitere KI-Anbieter Klagen einleiten wird. Ziel dieser Klagen ist es, eine Lizenzvergütung für die Urheberinnen und Urheber sowie die Musikverlage, auf deren Werken die KI-Systeme beruhen, zu erwirken. Der Erfolg von KI-Systemen, beruht auf den Inhalten, mit denen sie trainiert wurden. Dann ist es nur fair, wenn diejenigen, die diese Inhalte geschaffen haben an den durch KI-Systeme erzielten Erlösen beteiligt werden.
Warum geht die GEMA gerichtlich gegen Open AI vor?
Durch die technologischen Entwicklungen im KI-Sektor gibt es völlig neue Möglichkeiten, Musik zu generieren. Die GEMA befürwortet dies generell. Sie sieht in KI-Systemen ein wichtiges Hilfsmittel im kreativen Prozess. Soweit jedoch Inhalte von ihren Mitgliedern zum Training der Systeme genutzt werden, müssen diese dafür fair entlohnt werden. Die GEMA konnte feststellen, dass bei „ChatGPT“ Songtexte von Werken (Lyrics), deren Rechte sie wahrnimmt, der breiten Öffentlichkeit zugänglich gemacht werden. Das ist nur möglich, weil dieses Tool zuvor mit diesen Texten trainiert wurde. Weder für das Training der KI noch für die Wiedergabe der Songtexte wurde jemals eine Vergütung seitens OpenAI gezahlt. Die öffentliche Zugänglichmachung von geschützten Werken ist aber bereits nach geltendem Recht lizenzpflichtig. Diesen Standpunkt möchte die GEMA zugunsten der Kreativen gegenüber Open AI durchsetzen und hat daher Klage erhoben. Damit ist nicht bezweckt, die Nutzung von Werken der GEMA durch KI-Systeme zu unterbinden. Mit der Klage wird eine faire Beteiligung der Urheber und Urheberinnen an der Nutzung ihrer Werke durch entsprechende KI-Tools angestrebt.
