Bollywood music giants take legal stand against OpenAI in copyright case
Earlier this month, the Indian Music Industry (IMI) group, T-Series and Saregama India asked a Delhi court to hear concerns about “unauthorised use of sound recordings” in training AI models
OpenAI’s legal challenges are mounting globally and in India, its second biggest market by users
Getty Images
By Eastern EyeFeb 26, 2025
INDIA’S top Bollywood music labels, including T-Series, Saregama, and Sony, seek to join a copyright lawsuit against OpenAI in Delhi over concerns of improper use of recordings to train AI models.
Microsoft-backed OpenAI’s legal challenges are mounting globally and in India, its second biggest market by users. But the firm said it follows fair-use principles in employing publicly available data to build its models.
Earlier this month, the Indian Music Industry (IMI) group, T-Series and Saregama India asked a Delhi court to hear concerns about “unauthorised use of sound recordings” in training AI models that breaches copyright.
The companies’ contentions in the lawsuit “are crucial for the entire music industry in India, and even worldwide,” they said in their filing, which is not public but was reviewed by Reuters.
OpenAI and the music labels did not respond to requests for comments on February 14.
The music labels want to join a lawsuit launched last year by Indian news agency ANI that accused OpenAI’s ChatGPT application of using its content without permission to train AI models.
Since then, book publishers and media groups, some backed by billionaires Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani, have banded together to oppose the firm in the court.
On its website, the IMI group says it also represents global names such as Sony Music and Warner Music. (Reuters)
TikTok is to lay off hundreds of employees from its London office, with the bulk of the cuts affecting content moderation and security teams, according to reports estimating over 400 job losses by the Communication Workers Union. Online safety campaigners, along with TUC and CWU leaders, have urged Chair Chi Onwurah MP to investigate the impact of TikTok’s actions on UK online safety and workers’ rights.
The strategic shift is part of a broader reorganisation of TikTok's global trust and safety operations, aiming to streamline processes and concentrate operations in fewer locations worldwide. The move has prompted significant criticism from safety advocates and politicians, raising concerns about the platform's commitment to child protection and online safety.
Safety roles cut
People working in the trust and safety team are most likely to lose their jobs as part of a global restructuring that prioritises AI- assisted moderation over human oversight. TikTok is moving UK content moderation roles to Europe as it rely on AI, putting hundreds of jobs at risk despite rising regulatory pressure under the Online Safety Act.
The timing is particularly controversial given recent revelations about platform safety failures. Report from Global Witness, a not-for-profit organisation have accused TikTok of "sacrificing online safety" through these AI-driven cuts, with investigations revealing that the algorithm has directed minors toward explicit content a serious breach of child protection standards.
The Communication Workers Union and online safety professionals have urged UK MPs to investigate the restructuring, warning that job losses could expose children to harmful material. The cuts represent a fundamental shift in TikTok's operational philosophy, prioritizing cost efficiency over comprehensive content review.
TikTok's restructuring putting several hundred jobs at risk marks a significant move as it shifts to AI-assisted content moderation. While the platform claims the changes will improve efficiency, the decision has sparked debate about whether algorithmic moderation adequately protects vulnerable users. As regulators scrutinise social media platforms increasingly, TikTok's focus on automation rather than human expertise may face mounting political and regulatory challenges in the UK and beyond.
By clicking the 'Subscribe’, you agree to receive our newsletter, marketing communications and industry
partners/sponsors sharing promotional product information via email and print communication from Garavi Gujarat
Publications Ltd and subsidiaries. You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time by clicking the
unsubscribe link in our emails. We will use your email address to personalize our communications and send you
relevant offers. Your data will be stored up to 30 days after unsubscribing.
Contact us at data@amg.biz to see how we manage and store your data.