TL;DR
A group of writers led by John Carreyrou has filed a lawsuit accusing Anthropic, Google, OpenAI, Meta, xAI and Perplexity of training large language models on pirated copies of their books. The filing follows dissatisfaction with a prior Anthropic class-action settlement that authors say inadequately addresses the use of stolen works.
What happened
Authors including John Carreyrou — known for his reporting on Theranos — have launched a new lawsuit against six AI companies: Anthropic, Google, OpenAI, Meta, xAI and Perplexity. The plaintiffs allege the companies used pirated copies of their books to train large language models. The action comes after a previous class action against Anthropic, in which a judge found it lawful for models to be trained on pirated book copies but ruled that the underlying piracy was illegal. Anthropic reached a $1.5 billion settlement in that case; the agreement would make roughly $3,000 available to eligible writers, a figure some authors criticize as insufficient. The new complaint argues the settlement protects AI companies rather than creators and seeks to prevent what the plaintiffs describe as the extinguishing of substantial claims at low payouts. Specific court dates and locations for the new suit were not provided in the source.
Why it matters
- It raises renewed legal pressure on how large language models are trained and the use of copyrighted works as training data.
- The dispute highlights tensions between creators seeking compensation and technology firms relying on large datasets to build AI products.
- A court ruling in this case could influence settlement practices and potential liability for multiple major AI companies.
- The case could affect future negotiations between publishers, authors and AI developers over access to literary content.
Key facts
- Plaintiffs include John Carreyrou and other authors; the exact list of all plaintiffs was not detailed in the source.
- Defendants named are Anthropic, Google, OpenAI, Meta, xAI and Perplexity.
- The complaint alleges these firms trained their language models using pirated copies of the plaintiffs' books.
- A separate class action previously targeted Anthropic; a judge found training on pirated copies lawful but the act of piracy unlawful.
- Anthropic agreed to a $1.5 billion settlement in the earlier case.
- Under that settlement, eligible writers could receive about $3,000 each, a figure some authors have rejected as inadequate.
- The new lawsuit asserts the proposed settlement appears to favor AI companies and improperly extinguishes high-value claims.
- Specific dates and locations for the new lawsuit were listed as 'TBD' or 'TBA' in the source, and no timeline was provided.
What to watch next
- Whether the new suit challenges approval or terms of the Anthropic settlement — not confirmed in the source.
- Timetable for filings, hearings and any court dates tied to the new lawsuit — not confirmed in the source.
- Whether plaintiffs will seek damages beyond what was offered in the Anthropic settlement, or broader injunctive relief — not confirmed in the source.
Quick glossary
- Large language model (LLM): A machine learning model trained on large amounts of text to generate or analyze human-like language.
- Class action settlement: An agreement resolving a lawsuit brought by a group of plaintiffs collectively against one or more defendants, typically distributing compensation and other remedies.
- Copyright infringement: Unauthorized use or reproduction of protected creative works, which can give rise to civil liability or other legal remedies.
- Training data: The dataset used to teach a machine learning model patterns so it can make predictions or generate content.
Reader FAQ
Who filed the new lawsuit?
John Carreyrou and other authors filed the new complaint.
Which companies are being sued?
Anthropic, Google, OpenAI, Meta, xAI and Perplexity are named as defendants.
How does this relate to the Anthropic settlement?
The new suit follows dissatisfaction with a $1.5 billion Anthropic settlement that would give eligible writers about $3,000 each; plaintiffs say that resolution does not hold companies accountable for using stolen books.
Are court dates or locations set?
Not confirmed in the source.
IN BRIEF Posted: 11:02 AM PST · December 23, 2025 IMAGE CREDITS: YUICHIRO CHINO / GETTY IMAGES Amanda Silberling John Carreyrou and other authors bring new lawsuit against six major…
Sources
- John Carreyrou and other authors bring new lawsuit against six major AI companies
- New York Times reporter sues Google, xAI, OpenAI over …
- 6 AI Companies Face Lawsuit From Investigative Journalist
- OpenAI, Anthropic, xAI Hit With Copyright Suit from Writers (1)
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