AI Copyright Lawsuit
Sony and Warner Chappell Sue Anthropic Over Massive AI Training Copyright Infringement
Anonymous
Key Points
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The filing includes explicit BitTorrent piracy allegations against co‑founder Benjamin Mann, claimed to have used BitTorrent to download over five million pirated books, with employees downloading at least two million more from Pirate Library Mirror.
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Additional song examples cited in the complaint include Bon Jovi’s "Livin’ On a Prayer," Earth, Wind & Fire’s "September," Leonard Cohen’s "Hallelujah," and Taylor Swift’s "Paper Rings" (beyond the songs listed in the summary).
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The suit accuses Anthropic of a data-cleaning process that stripped song titles, songwriter names, and copyright notices while retaining the lyrics themselves, aiming to acquire usable training data while erasing provenance information.
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This litigation is part of a broader wave of music‑industry actions against Anthropic, including a January 2026 suit covering more than 20,000 songs seeking over $3 billion in statutory damages, following a $1.5 billion settlement with authors and publishers in 2025.
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The complaint outlines four counts, including direct infringement by torrenting, and requests destruction of infringing copies as well as an account of Claude’s training data; Sony Music Publishing and Warner Chappell are also seeking a jury trial.
Sony Music Publishing and Warner Chappell sued Anthropic in federal court, accusing the AI company of stealing tens of thousands of copyrighted songs to train Claude. TechCrunch reports the lawsuit, filed in Northern California, calls the alleged piracy a "brazen campaign" of intellectual property theft. The complaint names CEO Dario Amodei and co-founder Benjamin Mann as individual defendants.
The publishers seek up to $150,000 per infringed work plus $25,000 for each removed copyright notice, potentially reaching billions in damages. The Verge notes the suit alleges Anthropic used torrenting, scraping, and illegal downloads to acquire songs like "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" and "All I Want for Christmas Is You." The company stripped away titles and copyright data while keeping the lyrics for training.
How Anthropic Allegedly Pirated the Music
The complaint details explicit BitTorrent piracy. TechCrunch states co-founder Benjamin Mann used BitTorrent to download over five million pirated books. Anthropic employees downloaded at least two million more works from Pirate Library Mirror. The suit accuses the company of a systematic data-cleaning process—stripping song titles, songwriter names, and copyright notices while keeping the lyrics intact.
This approach let Anthropic use training data while erasing its source. The Verge reports the complaint cites specific hit songs: Bon Jovi's "Livin' On a Prayer," Earth Wind & Fire's "September," Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah," and Taylor Swift's "Paper Rings." The publishers allege this was no accident—it was deliberate strategy to hide where the data came from.
A Staggering Price Tag for the Alleged Theft
The lawsuit seeks extreme penalties. Each copyrighted work can trigger up to $150,000 in statutory damages. Every instance of removing copyright management information adds another $25,000. With tens of thousands of songs allegedly stolen, total exposure could easily reach billions of dollars. Newsmax reports the complaint includes four legal counts, including direct copyright infringement.
This lawsuit joins a larger wave of music industry action against Anthropic. The Verge notes that in January 2026, another suit covered more than 20,000 songs and sought over $3 billion in statutory damages. Anthropic also settled a separate case with authors and publishers for $1.5 billion in 2025. The company has not publicly responded to the Sony and Warner allegations.
Defendants Face Both Corporate and Personal Liability
Anthropic itself is sued as a company, but the complaint also names two founders personally: CEO Dario Amodei and co-founder Benjamin Mann. TechCrunch reports Mann faces specific allegations tied to his direct use of BitTorrent networks. This dual approach gives Sony and Warner leverage—they can pursue the company's assets and hold individuals accountable. Both companies are demanding a jury trial.
The publishers also want the court to order destruction of all infringing copies and a full accounting of Claude's training data sources. The Verge reports Sony Music Publishing and Warner Chappell are seeking transparency about how the AI model was built. These demands could reshape how Anthropic discloses its data practices going forward.
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