Munich court rules against AI music service Suno in landmark copyright case

A regional court in Munich has ruled in favor of the German rights organization GEMA in its lawsuit against the American AI music service Suno. The court determined that Suno violated both German and American copyright laws through the unauthorized use and reproduction of music from GEMA’s repertoire.

This marks the first substantive legal decision globally regarding the use of copyrighted music by AI services. The ruling establishes that AI providers must obtain licenses and provide fair compensation to creators when utilizing musical works to develop and offer their technology.

Nicky Trebbien, legal and political director at Koda, described the ruling as a “historic decision” that signals AI companies cannot build businesses on the work of others without respecting copyright. While the decision is a significant step toward a fairer market for artists, experts note that it may not resolve all the broader challenges posed by generative AI.