UMG, Concord & ABKCO v. Anthropic
Whether reproducing copyrighted song lyrics in training and outputs infringes.
- Plaintiff
- Music publishers (UMPG, Concord, ABKCO)
- Defendant
- Anthropic
- Type
- Copyright
- Status
- Active — Filed and ongoing — in discovery or pre-trial, no merits ruling yet.
- Filed
- Oct 2023
- Court
- U.S. District Court (transferred to N.D. California)
What’s happening
Music publishers including Universal Music Publishing Group, Concord and ABKCO sued Anthropic in 2023, alleging Claude reproduces copyrighted song lyrics. The case is separate from the settled Bartz book-authors matter. In January 2026 the publishers filed an amended complaint seeking about $3.1 billion in damages. The case remains active.
Latest: Ongoing. Publishers filed an amended complaint in January 2026 seeking about $3.1 billion in damages. Distinct from the separately settled Bartz book-authors case.
Sources
Verified Jul 11, 2026.
This page is a neutral summary drawn from public reporting, not legal advice — allegations are allegations until a court decides. Litigation moves fast, so the sources above are the source of truth; confirm the latest there. Spotted an error? Tell us — corrections welcome.