A federal judge in San Francisco is considering whether to approve Anthropic’s proposed $1.5 billion settlement in a lawsuit brought by authors and other copyright holders. According to court proceedings discussed by multiple outlets, the hearing focuses on the details needed for final approval, with the judge asking for additional information rather than immediately granting sign-off. One key issue raised is the breakdown of legal fees and how lead plaintiffs are paid under the proposed terms. The settlement is described as potentially the largest copyright settlement in U.S. history.
In the hearing, an attorney for the authors said that the claims submitted cover more than 92% of the over 480,000 works included in the settlement, indicating broad coverage among the included copyright holders. The reporting also notes that the judge is requesting more documentation and specifics before deciding whether the deal meets legal requirements for approval. Until the judge grants final approval, the settlement remains under review.
