Suno Loses Copyright Infringement Case to GEMA in German Court

A Munich court has ruled that AI music generator Suno infringed copyright by using protected musical works to train its models without a licence, handing a victory to German performance rights organisation GEMA.

The Munich Regional Court issued the decision on Friday, July 31, finding that Suno was not entitled to use music represented by GEMA for AI training. The court determined that the platform breached both German and US copyright law by using, storing and reproducing copyrighted material without authorisation.

“Today, the Chamber made one thing crystal clear: AI models built on stolen intellectual property have no protection under the law,” GEMA CEO Dr Tobias Holzmüller said in a statement. “AI service providers must pay for licences rather than helping themselves to our members’ works free of charge. Today, the court’s verdict has significantly strengthened Europe’s position as a cultural centre.”

Suno will be required to pay damages, though the amount has yet to be confirmed. The ruling also establishes that AI companies must license material for the systematic use of GEMA’s repertoire and its commercial exploitation.

The decision marks GEMA’s second court win in the past year, following a November 2025 ruling against ChatGPT operator OpenAI for violating European copyright laws.

Suno is currently facing multiple legal battles, including an unresolved case with Universal Music Group (UMG) and Sony Music Entertainment (SME) over alleged mass copyright infringement.