About the Anthropic Copyright Class Action Settlement
Authors, publishers, and copyright holders now face a fast-approaching deadline to act in the Bartz, et al. v. Anthropic PBC class action settlement. The lawsuit centers on allegations that artificial intelligence (AI) research company Anthropic downloaded and used copyrighted books sourced from the websites Library Genesis (LibGen) and Pirate Library Mirror (PiLiMi) to train its artificial intelligence (AI) models. Anthropic has agreed to pay $1.5 billion to settle these claims.
The settlement addresses claims brought by several authors who alleged that Anthropic violated the U.S. Copyright Act by using their books, sourced from LibGen and PiLiMi, for the purpose of training large language models (LLMs). Anthropic denies wrongdoing and maintains that its use of the material qualified as fair use under federal law.
According to the Associated Press (AP News), the settlement—if approved—would represent a landmark development in ongoing copyright disputes between AI companies and creative professionals. The FAQ page of the official settlement website claims that it is the “largest copyright class action settlement in history.”
In June 2025, a district court ruled that using books for AI training qualified for fair use protections under most circumstances but left open the question of whether the initial downloading from LibGen and PiLiMi was protected by fair use.
The trial was scheduled for December 2025, but both sides reached a settlement before it began.
Key Facts
- Case Name: Bartz, et al. v. Anthropic PBC
- Case Number: 3:24-cv-5417
- Settlement Amount: $1.5 billion
- Claim Deadline: March 30, 2026
- Opt-out deadline: January 15, 2026
- Objection deadline: January 15, 2026
- Proof required: Yes
- Payout: Varies depending on the number of qualifying works, the number of claims submitted, and the ownership structure
AP News noted that the settlement provides for payments of about $3,000 per qualifying book, though the final amount may increase or decrease depending on the total claims submitted and fees deducted.
Who Is Included in the Class?
The class includes legal or beneficial owners of the reproduction rights for any book that appeared in the LibGen or PiLiMi datasets downloaded by Anthropic. To be included, a work must:
- Have an International Standard Book Number (ISBN) or Amazon Standard Identification Number (ASIN)
- Have been registered with the United States Copyright Office within five years of first publication
- Have been registered before Anthropic downloaded it or within three months of first publication
Eligible rightsholders may include:
- Authors
- Publishers
- Estates
- Academic institutions
- Beneficial owners (e.g., authors receiving royalties even if a publisher holds legal ownership)
Works not appearing on the official Works List are not part of the class action settlement.
How to Check Whether Your Work Is Included
The only way to confirm eligibility is through the Works List Lookup at: www.AnthropicCopyrightSettlement.com/lookup.
You can search by:
- Author
- Title
- Publisher
- Copyright Registration Number
- ISBN or ASIN
If a work appears on the list and you are a legal or beneficial owner of its reproduction rights, you may submit a claim.
How to Submit a Claim
Rightsholders who believe they qualify must submit a claim form by March 30, 2026. A valid claim is required to receive the maximum possible payment. If multiple owners submit claims for the same work, payments will be shared.
The claim form typically requires:
- Identification of the qualifying work(s)
- Documentation showing ownership of reproduction rights
- Payment information
Claimants may withdraw a form until January 15, 2026.
Those who wish to pursue separate litigation must opt out by January 15, 2026. Opting out applies to the entire work, meaning all other legal or beneficial owners will also be excluded from receiving payments for that title.
Requests must be in writing, including the case name and number and the specific work(s) and registration details.
What the Settlement Provides
Anthropic agreed to create a $1.5 billion non-reversionary fund, paid in four installments:
- $300 million on October 2, 2025
- $300 million within five business days of final approval
- $450 million by September 25, 2026
- $450 million by September 27, 2027
The settlement also requires Anthropic to destroy all downloaded copies of affected books, except where preservation is legally required.
When Will Payments Be Issued?
Payments will only be made after:
The court grants final approval and All appeal periods end
The settlement administrator will calculate payments within 80 days of the claim deadline. Initial payments are estimated to be issued by August 10, 2026, although timing may be affected by appeals or installment schedules.
Meanwhile, a final approval hearing is scheduled for April 23, 2026, at the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, located in San Francisco. Attendance is not required to receive a settlement payment.
If your book is on the Works List and you hold reproduction rights, you may qualify for compensation from this historic settlement. With key deadlines approaching, now is the time to confirm eligibility and submit your claim.
File a claim or learn more about the Anthropic copyright settlement today.
Add Comment