Amazon-Backed AI Firm to Pay $1.5 Billion for Using Authors’ Books WITHOUT Permission
Big money and big lessons are hitting the AI world. Anthropic, the Amazon and Google-backed startup, has agreed to pay $1.5 billion to settle a lawsuit filed by a group of authors who accused the company of using their books — without permission — to train its AI models.
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What’s in the Deal?
Under the settlement, authors will receive about $3,000 per book, plus interest, and Anthropic has to wipe out the datasets that contained the pirated material. That’s not just a payout — it’s a clear signal that AI companies can’t just grab copyrighted content and hope nobody notices.
Why This Matters
This isn’t just another lawsuit. If approved, it would be the largest copyright recovery ever reported, and it could reshape how AI firms use data going forward. Publishers, writers, and tech companies everywhere are watching this one closely, because it might set the playbook for future battles over who really owns what in the age of AI.
Anthropic’s Response
The company kept its statement optimistic. Speaking to Bloomberg, a rep said Anthropic is still focused on building “safe AI systems that help people and organisations extend their capabilities, advance scientific discovery, and solve complex problems.”