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Technology
US Court Reviews Fair Use of Song Lyrics in AI Training as India Mulls Licensing Rule
✍️ MediaNama
🗓 23 Oct 2026, 04:34 AM
👁 18
A US federal court is examining whether using song lyrics to train artificial intelligence systems qualifies as fair use, while India is considering a mandatory licensing framework for such content.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has taken up a copyright dispute that centers on whether AI developers can legally use copyrighted song lyrics as training data under the doctrine of fair use. The case, brought by a coalition of music publishers, challenges the practices of several AI firms that scrape publicly available lyrics to improve language models.
Legal analysts note that the court’s ruling could set a nationwide precedent, influencing how AI companies worldwide handle copyrighted text. A decision favoring the publishers would likely force AI developers to seek licenses or redesign data‑collection methods, while a ruling for fair use could keep current practices largely unchanged.
Meanwhile, the Indian government is drafting a separate policy that would require mandatory licensing for any copyrighted material used to train generative AI tools. The proposal, announced by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, aims to create a transparent royalty system for creators, including songwriters and lyricists.
Industry groups in both countries have voiced concerns. U.S. tech firms argue that strict licensing could stifle innovation, whereas Indian music associations welcome the move as a way to protect artists’ earnings in the digital age.
Legal analysts note that the court’s ruling could set a nationwide precedent, influencing how AI companies worldwide handle copyrighted text. A decision favoring the publishers would likely force AI developers to seek licenses or redesign data‑collection methods, while a ruling for fair use could keep current practices largely unchanged.
Meanwhile, the Indian government is drafting a separate policy that would require mandatory licensing for any copyrighted material used to train generative AI tools. The proposal, announced by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, aims to create a transparent royalty system for creators, including songwriters and lyricists.
Industry groups in both countries have voiced concerns. U.S. tech firms argue that strict licensing could stifle innovation, whereas Indian music associations welcome the move as a way to protect artists’ earnings in the digital age.