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Policy & Regulation

Judge Denies Anthropic's Appeal in Copyright Case

Judge rejects Anthropic bid to appeal copyright ruling, postpone trial

Key Insights

A federal judge denies Anthropic's request to appeal a copyright ruling before a December trial, potentially exposing the company to significant damages for allegedly using pirated books to train its AI model.

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A federal judge in California has denied Anthropic's request to appeal a copyright ruling ahead of a scheduled trial in December. The ruling could make the AI company liable for billions in damages for allegedly using pirated books to train its chatbot, Claude.

Key developments:

  • Class action lawsuit: Authors Andrea Bartz, Charles Graeber, and Kirk Wallace Johnson filed a lawsuit accusing Anthropic of copyright infringement by storing pirated books in a central library, potentially exceeding permitted AI training use.

  • Fair use ruling: Judge William Alsup previously ruled that the company's training constituted fair use but allowed the case to proceed due to the storage of pirated books violating authors' rights.

  • Trial schedule: The trial is set for December 1, 2025, and could result in substantial piracy-related damages against Anthropic.

This legal battle highlights the ongoing challenges AI companies face regarding copyright issues, emphasizing the need for clear guidelines and ethical practices in AI training methodologies.

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