Bartz v. Anthropic Copyright Settlement FAQ for Authors
Please note: This information is current as of December 18, 2025. All information is subject to change. If you have further questions after reviewing the FAQ, please visit the Settlement Website for more information or contact the Settlement Administrator at 877-206-2314 or info@AnthropicCopyrightSettlement.com.
Q: How can I find out if my work is included in the settlement?
You can find out whether your book is included in the settlement by checking the following searchable database: Anthropic Works List Lookup. The database is searchable by author, title, publisher, ISBN number, or ASIN number.
If you are the legal or beneficial owner of the U.S. reproduction right for a work that is in the database, then you are a “class member” and included in the settlement.
Q: What is the difference between a legal owner and a beneficial owner?
A legal owner of a book holds the exclusive right to reproduce that work in the U.S. Often, by contract, the legal owner of the work is the publisher.
A beneficial owner of a book is someone who either assigned the copyright to another person or entity in exchange for royalty payments or granted an exclusive right to reproduce that work in exchange for royalty payments. Often, authors are beneficial owners.
Both legal and beneficial owners of eligible works should submit claim forms in connection with the settlement.
Q: Does this mean that Penguin Random House and I can both submit a claim for the same book?
Yes. In fact, the legal owner (in most cases, the publisher) and the beneficial owner (in most cases, the author) of a work are separate class members, and the settlement process is set up in a way that directs each separate class member to submit their own claim, on their own behalf, for that work. The two claims do not cancel each other out. Instead, by default, the settlement payment for that book will be split 50-50 between the author and the publisher. (You have the choice to accept the default option or claim an alternative split when you submit your form.)
Q: So do I need to take action to get a payment?
To guarantee that you are eligible to receive money from the settlement and that the money is sent to you by your preferred method of receipt, you must submit a valid claim form. If you are the legal or beneficial owner of more than one work on the works list, you must submit a claim for each work, but you can do so on a single claim form for all of your works.
To submit your claim form, visit www.AnthropicCopyrightSettlement.com. You can submit your claim form online or download a claim form to complete and return by mail. Online submission is recommended for faster processing, especially if you have multiple works included.
Q: Will Penguin Random House handle the claims process for me?
No. Class members must each file their own claims, and publishers cannot file claims on behalf of authors.
If you need personal assistance with submitting your claim form, you can contact the Settlement Administrator at 877-206-2314 or info@AnthropicCopyrightSettlement.com.
Q: The claim form requires me to list other rightsholders. How do I do that?
When you submit your claim form, you will need to include publisher information for your book(s). There is no need to specify a particular division, imprint, or editor. It is enough to identify Penguin Random House as the other rightsholder, and you can submit the following contact information when prompted:
Full Name of Additional Rightsholder: Penguin Random House
Rightsholder Type: Publisher
Address: 1745 Broadway, New York, NY 10019
Email Address: AnthropicSettlement@penguinrandomhouse.com
Contact Person: Aurora Laveglia
Q: What are some key upcoming settlement dates?
- January 15, 2026: Last day to request exclusion (opt-out) from the settlement
- March 30, 2026: Deadline to submit claims
- April 23, 2026: Court hearing on final approval of the settlement
- August 2026: Earliest anticipated date on which payments to class members may be sent if there are no objections to the settlement
