A class-action lawsuit against AI company Anthropic over copyright infringement is nearing settlement, with both parties reaching an agreement in principle[^1]. The lawsuit, filed by authors Andrea Bartz, Kirk Wallace Johnson, and Charles Graeber, alleged Anthropic illegally downloaded millions of books to train its AI models[^3].

U.S. District Judge William Alsup certified what could be the largest copyright class action ever, potentially including up to 7 million claimants[^1]. The lawsuit claimed Anthropic pirated books from online sources including Books3, Library Genesis, and Pirate Library Mirror[^3].

“This historic settlement will benefit all class members,” said Justin A. Nelson, attorney for the authors[^1]. The parties must file a motion for preliminary approval by September 5, 2025[^1].

While settlement terms remain undisclosed, the case had serious implications - industry advocates warned that if every eligible author filed a claim, it could “financially ruin” the AI industry[^1]. Anthropic had previously argued the lawsuit threatened its survival as a company[^1].

[^1]: Ars Technica - Authors celebrate “historic” settlement coming soon in Anthropic class action [^3]: LA Times - AI company Anthropic settles with authors who alleged piracy