A U.S. federal judge has approved Anthropic's $1.5 billion settlement with authors and publishers over the company's acquisition and use of pirated books to train its Claude artificial intelligence chatbot, marking the first major resolution in the growing wave of AI copyright litigation.
The agreement covers more than 482,000 books and will provide payments of about $3,000 per book to eligible authors and publishers.
District Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín ruled that the settlement provides "meaningful relief" to rights holders, with about 91% of covered works already claimed.
Plaintiff attorney Justin Nelson described the deal as "the largest known copyright recovery in history."
The case was brought in 2024 by a group of authors led by bestselling novelist Andrea Bartz, who argued that Anthropic had used their works without permission in developing its AI systems.
The lawsuit followed a significant court ruling that found training AI models on copyrighted books could qualify as fair use under U.S. copyright law.
However, the court also found that Anthropic had improperly obtained millions of books through pirate websites, creating the basis for legal claims against the company.
Anthropic welcomed the outcome, highlighting the court's earlier finding that AI training on books itself constituted fair use.
The company said it was pleased that the vast majority of eligible authors and publishers had claimed their share of the settlement funds.
The agreement is regarded as the first major settlement among numerous copyright lawsuits currently facing AI developers over the use of published works in training large language models.
Even as the copyright case moves toward resolution, Anthropic is facing a fresh legal battle.
The University of Tennessee Research Foundation has filed a lawsuit in federal court in Delaware, alleging that Anthropic's AI systems infringe patents related to neural networks, machine learning and neuroscience-inspired computing.
The foundation claims two patents developed by university researchers cover technologies used in Anthropic's AI models. It is seeking unspecified financial damages and a court order barring further infringement.
In its complaint, the foundation argued that concerns about Anthropic's handling of intellectual property extend beyond copyrighted material to patented technologies as well.
The patent suit is believed to be the first of its kind brought against Anthropic and adds to the broader legal scrutiny facing artificial intelligence companies as courts continue to define the boundaries of intellectual property rights in the AI era.
Pakistan has taken over the chairmanship of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, with Prime Minister Shehbaz ...
Leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) have gathered in Bishkek for a summit focused on trade, investment and transport as the...
Russian air attacks have killed at least 12 people and injured several others in Kyiv and the surrounding region early on Tuesday, marking the sixt...
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan have concluded talks in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, as leaders gather for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit.
U.S. forces struck two Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island on Sunday, with Tehran responding by launching ballistic missiles at two U.S. bases in Jordan in the first direct U.S.-Iran military escalation in weeks.
Leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) have gathered in Bishkek for a summit focused on trade, investment and transport as the group marks 25 years since its creation.
Iran has reached an understanding with Oman on transit arrangements through the Strait of Hormuz, but the waterway will remain closed until the U.S. fulfils its commitments, a senior Iranian diplomat said on Saturday.
Kyrgyzstan is hosting the sixth World Nomad Games, bringing together thousands of athletes from around the world for a celebration of traditional sports, cultural heritage and nomadic traditions.
Apple is entering a new era as Tim Cook steps down as chief executive after 15 years at the helm, handing the technology giant's leadership to longtime executive John Ternus.
A humanoid robot developed by Chinese smartphone maker Honor has run 100 metres in 9.32 seconds, beating Usain Bolt's men's world record of 9.58 seconds, China's state broadcaster reported on Saturday.
An artificial intelligence agent running an experimental store in San Francisco has recommended dismissing a human employee after the worker repeatedly arrived late for shifts.
Nvidia is teaming up with some of the biggest names in global finance in a move that underscores how artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming one of the world's most sought-after investment themes.
Parts of Europe and the Arctic will briefly fall into darkness on Wednesday, 12 August, as the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun in a total solar eclipse.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment