Anthropic's $1.5 billion book settlement descends into chaos as authors and publishers fight over who gets paid
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Authors and publishers are fighting over how to divide Anthropic’s $1.5 billion settlement, described as the largest copyright deal in US history. Under the settlement, Anthropic must pay $3,000 for each illegally downloaded book used to train its chatbot Claude, affecting more than 482,000 titles. As payouts begin, competing claims are being filed with the settlement administrator, according to the New York Times. Mary Rasenberger of the Authors Guild says many publishers lack accurate records of rights that have reverted to authors, and textbook authors are especially hard hit, with some receiving only 10 to 15 percent under their contracts. Writer Beware reports that literary agencies are also claiming shares despite having no legal standing. Author April Henry found HarperCollins claiming rights to a book that had reverted to her, and a nonfiction author said her publisher wanted to give her just 10 percent. A court ruled Anthropic’s use of illegally obtained books unlawful but found training on legally purchased books to be fair use, and a court-appointed arbitrator will handle unresolved disputes.
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