Is AI using Afrobeats lyrics without artists’ permission?

Lines from Burna Boy’s ‘Last Last,’ Asake’s ‘Lonely At The Top,’ and Rema’s ‘Calm Down’ sit openly online alongside verses from thousands of independent artists. Now, a growing number of Nigerian artists, producers, and publishers are asking a simple question: when companies like OpenAI train ChatGPT and other large language models, are they quietly copying those same Afrobeats lyrics without permission or payment?

A court ruling

Every day, millions of Afrobeats lyrics are uploaded to platforms like Genius, YouTube, Instagram, and blogs.

Lines from Burna Boy’s ‘Last Last,’ Asake’s ‘Lonely At The Top,’ and Rema’s ‘Calm Down’ sit openly online alongside verses from thousands of independent artists. Now, a growing number of Nigerian artists, producers, and publishers are asking a simple question: when companies like OpenAI train ChatGPT and other large language models, are they quietly copying those same Afrobeats lyrics without permission or payment?

A court ruling