Anthropic Agrees to Pay Authors at Least $1.5 Billion in AI Copyright Settlement

"This landmark settlement far surpasses any other known copyright recovery. It is the first of its kind in the AI era. It will provide meaningful compensation for each class work and sets a precedent requiring AI companies to pay copyright owners. This settlement sends a powerful message to AI companies and creators alike that taking copyrighted works from these pirate websites is wrong,"

"Anthropic is not admitting any wrongdoing or liability. 'Today's settlement, if approved, will resolve the plaintiffs' remaining legacy claims. We remain committed to developing safe AI systems that help people and organizations extend their capabilities, advance scientific discovery, and solve complex problems,' Anthropic deputy general counsel Aparna Sridhar said in a statement. The lawsuit, which was originally filed in 2024 in the US District Court for the Northern District of California,"

Anthropic agreed to pay at least $1.5 billion to settle a class-action lawsuit by a group of book authors alleging copyright infringement, roughly $3,000 per work. Experts said potential damages if plaintiffs had prevailed at trial could have reached billions or even over $1 trillion in some estimates. The settlement is the first U.S. class-action resolution focused on AI and copyright and may influence regulators and creative industries on generative AI and intellectual property. Anthropic did not admit wrongdoing or liability and stated commitment to developing safe AI systems. Plaintiffs named Andrea Bartz, Kirk Wallace Johnson, and Charles Graeber; the suit was filed in 2024 in Northern California federal court.

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