German court orders OpenAI to pay damages for violating copyright laws

13 Nov 2025, 04:44 PM

The ruling by the German court is significant globally as OpenAI faces allegations of copyright violations and warnings.

Team Head&Tale

A German court has ruled that OpenAI's ChatGPT has violated copyright laws by training its large language models by using licensed works of top-selling musicians, the Guardian reported.

The presiding judge has ordered the Sam Altman-led company to pay undisclosed damages for using copyrighted material without permission

Germany’s music rights society GEMA had filed a lawsuit against OpenAI November last year. In the lawsuit, it had said that ChatGPT had used the works of popular musicians without permission.

One of the works was Helene Fischer’s Atemlos Durch die Nacht (Breathless Through the Night), which was the unofficial anthem of the German side during the 2014 football World Cup.

The ruling by the German court is significant globally as OpenAI faces allegations of copyright violations and warnings.

Recently, Content Overseas Distribution Association (CODA), a Japanese trade organisation, wrote to OpenAI to stop training its AI model without the permission of its members' content.

OpenAI is also facing copyright issue in India from media organisations including news agency ANI Media for scraping their content without permission.

Who Reads Us

I enjoy reading The Head and Tale for their coverage on the Fintech landscape. The reporting is incisive and honest,  and it demonstrates a sharp understanding of the industry and the issues that concern it. I'd like to extend my best wishes to Arti for her continued success.

Rahul Chari, Co-Founder and CTO, PhonePe
Rahul Chari Co-Founder And CTO, PhonePe

Well-researched, informative and analysis based reporting makes an interesting read. 'The Head and Tale' news portal has been demonstrating this quite well covering fintech and emerging tech sectors. Their timely updates, exclusive stories and different perspectives on these sectors help me stay informed. Kudos to Arti Singh for pursuing her passion and best wishes to the team.

Rishi Gupta, MD & CEO, Fino Payments Bank
Rishi Gupta MD & CEO, Fino Payments Bank

The Head and Tale stands out for its deep industry knowledge and impressive network of sources. I especially appreciate that the reporting remains independent, rarely resorting to paid puff pieces, making it a publication I can genuinely trust. Having followed Arti’s work for years, I’ve come to rely on The Head and Tale for its unparalleled insight and truly independent coverage. Arti’s long-standing presence in the sector means her reporting is always informed, with access few can match.

Lizzie Chapman, co-founder, ZestMoney
Lizzie Chapman Co-founder, ZestMoney

What I really appreciate about The Head and Tale is that it doesn’t just report the news, it interprets it. The stories are well-researched, comprehensive, and bold. Arti brings a fearless lens to reporting, often asking the uncomfortable but necessary questions. She makes you pause, reflect, and rethink what it all means for the payments and fintech ecosystem. It’s rare to find journalism that’s this sharp, timely, and relevant to the work we do every day.

Mohit Bedi, co-founder, Kiwi
Mohit Bedi Co-founder, Kiwi

I’ve always valued journalism that goes beyond surface-level headlines. The Head and Tale does exactly that - it connects the dots, asks the tough questions, and brings clarity to the shifts shaping our evolving industry. I’ve even encouraged my team members to subscribe, because staying informed through credible, deeply reported stories is as important as building products. For me, The Head and Tale has become part of essential reading.

Cofounder of IPO-bound leading fintech lending company
Cofounder of IPO-bound leading fintech lending company