If you published a book with an ISBN or ASIN before August 2022, there’s a reasonable chance it was used to train Anthropic’s Claude AI. And if it was, you may be owed money from the largest AI copyright settlement to date.
The claims deadline is March 30, 2026. If you haven’t checked yet, now is the time.
The Background
Anthropic downloaded approximately 500,000 copyrighted books from pirate library sites (LibGen and PiLiMi) to train Claude. Authors sued. Anthropic settled for $1.5 billion, which works out to roughly $3,000 per title before legal fees. That number may go up depending on how many valid claims are filed and the interest earned on the fund.
The settlement (Bartz v. Anthropic) received preliminary court approval, and the final approval hearing is scheduled for April 23, 2026. Payments are expected to begin rolling out in June 2026.
How to Check If Your Books Are Included
Go to anthropiccopyrightsettlement.com and use the Works List Lookup tool. You can search by author name, title, or ISBN/ASIN. If your book appears on the list, you’re eligible to file a claim.
You may have already received a notice by mail or email with a Unique ID. If you didn’t get one but your book is on the list, you can still file without it.
What You Need to File
Before you start the claim form, gather these:
- Your U.S. Copyright Office registration number for each work
- The ISBN or ASIN for each book
- Your publisher’s contact information (if traditionally published)
- Your publishing contract, if you’re claiming a payment split other than the default 50/50 between author and publisher
- Payment details (bank account for ACH/Zelle, or a mailing address for a check)
If you’re self-published or your rights have reverted, you receive 100% of the award. When the form asks if you’re the sole legal owner, select yes.
For traditionally published books, the default split is 50/50 between author and publisher. If your contract says otherwise, you can claim a different split, but you’ll need documentation to back it up.
One Thing to Watch Out For
The form asks you to identify other rightsholders (co-authors, publishers). If you skip this or get it wrong, your claim may be denied. Take the time to fill it out completely.
What to Do
- Visit anthropiccopyrightsettlement.com and search for your books
- If they’re listed, complete the online claim form before March 30, 2026
- If you need help, call the Settlement Administrator at 877-206-2314 or email info@AnthropicCopyrightSettlement.com
Whether you feel conflicted about AI companies using your work or you’ve made peace with it, this is money set aside specifically for authors. Filing a claim doesn’t mean you endorse what happened. It means you’re collecting what’s owed to you.