Anthropic Copyright Infringement
Anthropic Copyright Infringement
Anthropic has received preliminary court approval of a settlement to resolve claims that it illegally downloaded millions of pirated books from online datasets. That settlement provides for just $3,000 per copyrighted work. But the law provides for up to $150,000. Unless you take action, authors and rightsholders will be automatically included in that settlement. If you opt out of that settlement, you may be entitled to more compensation. Let us opt you out, represent you, and fight for more! The Court approved class notice will be going out soon. Class members are urged to read it to learn about the pros and cons of submitting a claim v. opting out of the lawsuit. For more information, and to read the notice (when available), you can visit the settlement administrator’s website here.
Max Damages:
Up to $150,000
Total Eligible:
500,000+
Overview
ClaimsHero is not affiliated with either Class Counsel or the Settlement Administrator - ClaimsHero is Only Representing Authors and Rightsholders seeking to Opt Out of the Anthropic Settlement
Other lawyers leading a class action have reached a settlement in a class action lawsuit claiming that Anthropic, a major artificial intelligence company, infringed protected copyrights by downloading works in two allegedly pirated online datasets called Library Genesis (LibGen) and Pirate Library Mirror (PiLiMi). The current settlement provides for $1.5 billion to make cash payments to members of the Class – approximately $3,000 per work.
If your book was among those copied and you are the author, a loan-out/company owner, or a publisher with the right to reproduce it, you may be eligible for more compensation than provided by the Settlement by opting out of it and pursuing your claims against Anthropic in court. The Copyright Act provides for statutory damages up to $150,000 per work depending on factors including whether Anthropic acted willfully.
Judge Alsup found that Anthropic’s use of copyrighted works to train its LLM was fair use, which means Anthropic isn't liable for that conduct in this case. But Judge Alsup also found that Anthropic’s downloading of pirated works and retention of them as a central library was not fair use, meaning those copyright claims were proceeding to trial until Anthropic settled and Judge Alsup preliminarily approved the settlement. You can read Judge Alsup’s order on Anthropic’s fair use defense here.
Beyond damages, Anthropic’s actions raises a fundamental moral question about the future of creative work. The books copied by Anthropic helped train powerful AI systems now being commercialized for enormous profit. Authors and publishers whose works supplied that foundation deserve fair compensation — not only because their rights were violated, but because their ideas, language, and creativity became the raw material that enabled these systems to exist. Ensuring that creators are paid for their contributions is essential to preserving both the economic and ethical balance between human creativity and artificial intelligence.
Let us represent you in your case against Anthropic by opting out now!
ClaimsHero is just getting started revolutionizing the way consumers interact with class actions, and as of today, does not yet have experience litigating in state or federal court. Consequently, ClaimsHero partners with experienced and sophisticated law firms that litigate high stakes cases all over the country. If you decide to opt out and retain ClaimsHero, we will partner with Stris & Maher LLP and Freedman Normand Friedland LLP on your behalf against Anthropic. That, of course, will not increase the amount you owe in attorney fees, as ClaimsHero simply shares the percent you will agree to pay it, with its partner law firms! If you opt out, we may decide not to file a lawsuit, and you may be left without any remedy.
Eligibility
You may qualify if you're the author or rightsholders of a book that:
Has an ISBN or ASIN (the standard ID number on the back cover or Amazon page).
It was registered with the U.S. Copyright Office within 5 years of publication and before June 2022.
You own the reproduction right.
Your book appeared on LibGen (June 2021) or PiLiMi (July 2022) — the pirate sites Anthropic pulled from.
Additional criteria may apply upon review of opt out application.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, ClaimsHero is only representing authors and rightsholders who intend to opt-out from the Anthropic Settlement.
The case against Anthropic is strong in our opinion. Anthropic lost significant rulings in Court before reaching the current settlement agreement. If Anthropic is determined to have willfully infringed the works, then the Copyright Act provides for statutory damages up to $150,000.
If you are a class member, you have the right to let the class action resolve your claims and settle them for just ~$3,000. But you also have the right to opt out of that settlement, and let us (or another law firm) seek damages directly against Anthropic. As mentioned above, we think the settlement undervalues your claims. Let us fight for the chance to get you more!
In plain English, it means that you (and other rightsholders in the work) are giving up the right to get funds from the class action settlement and will need to file an individual suit, and win or settle it, to collect any funds. That takes more time, and isn’t certain, but the payout can be substantially higher.
In the words of the Settlement Administrator, whose website is available here, opting out means:
If you opt out a work from the Settlement, that means that you and any other legal or beneficial owners of that work will not receive any payment from the Settlement for that work. If one rightsholder opts out of the Settlement, the entire work, and the rest of the rightsholders for that work, are opted out as well. For example, if you are an author and choose to opt out your work, that means you will not receive any payment, your co-authors will not receive any payment, and your publisher will not receive payment. If you are a publisher and choose to opt out your work, that means that you will not receive any payment, and all authors of that book will not receive any payment.
Yes, but nothing upfront, and we only get paid if your lawsuit is successful. We take a percent of your win!
Yes, ClaimsHero is an Arizona law firm.
You should receive a claim notice or email soon with a unique ID number from the settlement administrator. We encourage you to read the class notice in deciding whether to opt out or remain in the class. You may obtain more information about the settlement, as well as the risks and benefits of the settlement, at the settlement administrator’s website: website.
You can find more information on the claim administrator's website, by contacting class counsel at Susman Godfrey, or Lieff Cabraser, or by contacting ClaimsHero.
ClaimsHero partners with experienced and sophisticated law firms that litigate high stakes cases all over the country. If you decide to opt out and retain ClaimsHero, we will partner with Stris & Maher LLP and Freedman Normand Friedland LLP on your behalf against Anthropic. That, of course, will not increase the amount you owe in attorney fees, as ClaimsHero simply shares the percent you will agree to pay it, with its partner law firms! If you opt out, we may decide not to file a lawsuit, and you may be left without any remedy.
If you have more questions, feel free to reach out to our support team for detailed assistance and guidance.
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