Concord Music and Anthropic reach partial agreement in copyright infringement case

Courtroom doc reveals settlement between music publishers and AI firm over copyright safety measures.

In a major growth for synthetic intelligence and copyright legislation, Harmony Music Group and different main music publishers have reached a partial settlement with Anthropic PBC concerning copyright safety measures, in line with court docket paperwork filed on January 2, 2025.

The stipulation, accredited by Choose Eumi Ok. Lee of america District Courtroom for the Northern District of California, addresses one side of an ongoing copyright infringement lawsuit initiated on October 18, 2023. In keeping with court docket data, the publishers initially filed their grievance within the Center District of Tennessee, asserting a number of claims together with direct copyright infringement, contributory infringement, and vicarious infringement.

The case, which includes allegations in regards to the rights to thousands and thousands of musical compositions, together with 500 particularly recognized works, has undergone a number of procedural developments. After switch to California as a result of jurisdictional points, the publishers filed a renewed movement for preliminary injunction on August 1, 2024.

Below the phrases of the settlement, Anthropic has dedicated to sustaining its current “Guardrails” – technical measures designed to forestall copyright-infringing outputs. The stipulation specifies that these protections will apply to each present AI fashions and future product choices. In keeping with the court docket doc, Anthropic retains the power to “increase, enhance, optimize, or change the implementation of such Guardrails,” offered these modifications don’t “materially diminish” their effectiveness.

The settlement establishes a proper notification course of: publishers might alert Anthropic in writing in the event that they consider the Guardrails should not successfully stopping unauthorized replica of their musical compositions. Upon receiving such discover, Anthropic should conduct an expeditious investigation and supply an in depth written response outlining their deliberate remedial actions or clearly state their choice to not handle the recognized points.

Notably, the settlement addresses just one portion of the publishers’ preliminary injunction movement. The events proceed to dispute different points of the case, notably concerning the usage of copyrighted lyrics in coaching future AI fashions. The court docket doc explicitly states that this settlement doesn’t resolve that ongoing controversy.

The stipulation consists of provisions for court docket oversight, with Anthropic agreeing to undergo the jurisdiction of the Northern District of California for any disputes involving the settlement. Choose Lee retains authority to implement the stipulation via all lawful and applicable means.

This partial decision represents a concrete step in addressing the complicated intersection of synthetic intelligence and copyright safety. Nonetheless, as specified within the court docket doc, neither the settlement itself nor any actions taken in reference to it shall be interpreted as an admission of legal responsibility, fault, or wrongdoing by any social gathering.

The case documentation signifies that each events had been represented by intensive authorized groups, with a number of legislation companies concerned together with Latham & Watkins LLP, Oppenheim + Zebrak LLP, and Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass LLP. The attorneys signed the stipulation on December 30, 2024, with ultimate court docket approval granted on January 2, 2025.

This growth happens towards the backdrop of broader discussions about AI expertise and mental property rights. The settlement probably establishes a precedent for a way AI firms would possibly implement technical safeguards to guard copyrighted content material whereas persevering with to develop their applied sciences.

The case stays energetic beneath docket quantity 5:24-cv-03811-EKL, with unresolved points nonetheless pending earlier than the court docket. Each events have expressly preserved their rights, treatments, and defenses regarding points of the preliminary injunction movement not addressed by this stipulation.