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Judge Rules Anthropic’s AI Training on Books Is Fair Use, Pirating Violates Copyright

By distinguishing transformative AI training from the unauthorized retention of millions of pirated books, the ruling sets a December trial on damages

Anthropic wins AI copyright ruling, judge says training on purchased books is fair use
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A view shows a Microsoft logo at Microsoft offices in Issy-les-Moulineaux near Paris, France, March 21, 2025. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/File Photo

Overview

  • Judge William Alsup found that using copyrighted books to train Anthropic’s Claude model is “exceedingly transformative” and qualifies as fair use under U.S. law.
  • The court determined that storing over seven million pirated books in a central library exceeds fair use and constitutes willful copyright infringement.
  • Alsup denied summary judgment on piracy claims and ordered a jury trial in December 2025 to assess damages, which could reach $150,000 per work.
  • This decision marks the first detailed federal ruling on fair use in generative AI training and is expected to shape dozens of similar lawsuits against major AI developers.
  • Anthropic welcomed the fair use finding but said it disagrees with the piracy ruling and is evaluating its legal options ahead of the upcoming trial.