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Munich Court Signals GEMA Advantage in OpenAI Lyrics Case, Sets Nov. 11 Date

The judge’s preliminary assessment supports claims that ChatGPT reproduced lyrics from training data, raising EU‑wide questions on AI training compensation.

Overview

  • At the Munich Regional Court, the dispute centers on nine song texts, with the court treating their use for training as undisputed.
  • Presiding judge Elke Schwager indicated likely memorization and reproduction of lyrics, and she dismissed arguments shifting responsibility to users.
  • Proceedings will continue on November 11, when the court may issue a decision or refer questions to the European Court of Justice.
  • OpenAI rejects GEMA’s claims as a misunderstanding of how ChatGPT works and says newer versions no longer output the contested lyrics.
  • The case carries a reported dispute value of about €600,000, and GEMA, representing tens of thousands of creators, seeks licensing, compensation, or injunctive relief.