Anthropic Scores Early Victory In AI Copyright Battle With Music Publishers

A California federal judge denied a request from Universal Music Group and other music publishers to block AI company Anthropic from using copyrighted lyrics to train its chatbot, Claude.

Judge Eumi Lee ruled that the publishers’ request was too broad and failed to prove “irreparable harm.” In response, the publishers stated they remain confident in their broader case against Anthropic, while the AI company welcomed the court’s decision.

UMG, Concord, and ABKCO sued Anthropic in 2023, alleging it used lyrics from at least 500 songs—by artists including Beyoncé, the Rolling Stones, and the Beach Boys—without permission to train its AI. The lawsuit is part of a broader legal battle over AI's use of copyrighted content.

Tech firms like OpenAI and Meta argue their AI models make “fair use” of copyrighted material, but fair use remains a key unresolved legal question. Judge Lee rejected the publishers’ claim that Anthropic’s actions harmed their licensing market, stating that the scope of AI licensing remains unclear.