GEMA v. Suno

AI training and copyright

Can AI be trained on protected works?

Only with permission or pay

Training an AI music generator on GEMA works without consent infringed; outputs did too

Holding

The court found that Suno infringed copyright in six GEMA compositions, ordered it to stop reproducing them and to stop using them to train its model, and to disclose related revenue and pay damages (amount still open). Suno had taken the works from YouTube by stream-ripping, circumventing a technical protection measure. The judgment is not final.

The second Munich ruling against an AI provider, and the first to stop training itself; it can still be appealed.

Principles it bears on

• Arguable linkUsing protected works to train AI can be lawful under an exception or fair use.
• SupportsAn AI system that memorises or reproduces protected works in its outputs can infringe.

Sources