$1.5 Billion settlement for AI copyright infringement lawsuits against Anthropic!

The NewYorkTimes.com reported that “The settlement is the largest payout in the history of U.S. copyright cases and could lead more A.I. companies to pay rights holders for use of their works.” The September 5, 2025 article entitled “Anthropic Agrees to Pay $1.5 Billion to Settle Lawsuit With Book Authors” (https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/05/technology/anthropic-settlement-copyright-ai.html) included the comments from Reporter Cade Metz:

In a landmark settlement, Anthropic, a leading artificial intelligence company, has agreed to pay $1.5 billion to a group of authors and publishers after a judge ruled it had illegally downloaded and stored millions of copyrighted books.

The settlement is the largest payout in the history of U.S. copyright cases. Anthropic will pay $3,000 per work to 500,000 authors.

The agreement is a turning point in a continuing battle between A.I. companies and copyright holders that spans more than 40 lawsuits across the country. Experts say the agreement could pave the way for more tech companies to pay rights holders through court decisions and settlements or through licensing fees.

“This is massive,” said Chad Hummel, a trial lawyer with the law firm McKool Smith, who is not involved in the case. “This will cause generative A.I. companies to sit up and take notice.”

Times, they are a changing for AI and IP!