A significant class-action lawsuit against Anthropic regarding its AI training data has reached a historic settlement, celebrated by authors. US District Judge William Alsup confirmed that the parties have reached a preliminary agreement and will seek approval by September 5.
The lawsuit, initiated by authors Andrea Bartz, Kirk Wallace Johnson, and Charles Graeber, expanded to include up to 7 million claimants after concerns arose about Anthropic’s use of potentially unauthorized books for AI training. This made it the largest copyright class-action, drawing criticism from industry advocates who warned of financial jeopardy for the AI sector.
The settlement’s terms are binding but not yet disclosed. Lawyer Justin Nelson, representing the authors, hinted at success for millions of claimants and promised more details soon. He described the settlement as a landmark victory for all involved.
Nelson emphasized the broader impact, stating, “This historic settlement will benefit all class members,” and expressed anticipation for revealing further details.
Anthropic has not yet commented, having previously expressed concerns that the lawsuit could threaten their existence, given their status as a startup founded by OpenAI veterans in 2021.
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