Bartz v. Anthropic Copyright Case
The Claims Process for Textbook & Academic Authors is Unique. Review Our Guidance Before Filing Claims.

Educational/textbook and university press/academic authors represent almost half of the close to 500,000 works infringed in Bartz v. Anthropic.

For more on that decision and TAA's role, click here.

TAA will be rolling out more guidance for textbook and academic authors in the days and weeks to come. What our October 8, webinar, "What Textbook & Academic Authors Need to Know About Filing Claims in Bartz v. Anthropic." Watch (open to members and non-members, so spread the word)

The claims period runs from now until March 23, 2026. It is not a "first come first served" situation, so take the time to do it right and ensure your best chance of a good recovery. Here's how to get started:

STEP ONE: See If Your Works Are Included in the Settlement

Click on the "Works List" button below to access the searchable database of works included in the settlement. If your books aren't there, you are not part of the settlement and there is nothing else for you to do.

If one or more of your books is on the Works List, you can file a claim. You should also be receiving a notice by mail and/or email from the Settlement Administrator, which will contain a "Unique ID" to use when submitting a claim. Please Note: While you may have authored multiple works, and multiple editions of those works, only the works pirated by Anthropic are included in the settlement.

STEP TWO: File a Claim

You will be asked for your "Unique ID" when you visit the claim site, but you do not need to have the in hand to start the claims process. Before filing a claim, we recommend that university press authors review our guidance here, and textbook authors review our guidance here. 

• If you are filing claims for multiple works, email the Settlement Administrator at [email protected]. Their bulk-filing team will assist you with that bulk filing and answer any questions. Class members will receive their "Unique ID" by mail in November. When input into the claim form, the Unique ID will pre-populate the author's full Works List.
• If you have already filed a claim, but need to correct them later, you can change at any time by reaching out directly to the claims administrator at (877) 206-2314 or [email protected].
• The deadline for filing a claim is March 23, 2026.

Payment Amounts and How University Press & Textbooks/Educational Works Will Be Treated in the Settlement

Each Work infringed gets roughly $3,000 for each infringed work, and this amount is split as follows:

• The court approved a 50-50 default split between the author(s) and publishers for trade and university press works. 
• There is no default split for textbooks/educational works - the splits for these are determined through a separate claims process.
• If there are multiple editions of a book, each edition counts as a separate work if it was separately registered for copyright and has a different ISBN number. 
• No payments will be made until the claims process is complete, which will be in the first quarter of 2026. All claimants will be paid at the same time. 
• Any coauthors will share the author portion.
• Authors who are the sole rightsholder in a work—such as self-published authors or authors whose rights have reverted or where the contracts have otherwise terminated—will receive the full award amount. 

Guidance for University Press Authors

The court approved a default 50-50 split for university press authors. You should select that as your default on the claim form, unless:

•  Your book went out of print, your publisher went out of business or rights have reverted back to you for any other reason. In that case claim 100%.
• You think your work is not a textbook but is listed as "Education". “Education” in the Anthropic settlement means “Textbook.” They mean it is published by an educational publisher. You can challenge that designation by including the correct information in the claim submission.
• “Not education” is a category that includes both trade books and academic/university press books.
• If you have both textbooks and trade or university books on the list, it is better to fill out two claims forms: one for the “Education” works and one for the “Not education” works.
• You believe you should receive more than 50%, submit your claim for the higher amount, along with your reasons for claiming the higher amount, which can include supporting language from your contracts. If the publisher disputes your claim, the Claims Administrator will contact you to try and resolve the dispute. You are not obligated to reach a resolution with the Claims Administrator; you have the right to have your claim determined by a neutral special master assigned by the court.

Guidance for Textbook/Education Authors

The court approved a separate claims process for determining the split between educational/textbook authors and publishers. This approach reflected the court’s concern that settlement proceeds be split in accordance with the terms of existing publishing agreements, and the greater variety of arrangements found in educational/textbook contracts.

• When you file your claim, you will be asked the percentage of the settlement--for each of your titles--to which you believe you are entitled. If your book is in print, you should claim 50%, based on the prevalence of contractual clauses in textbook publishing agreements that provide for a 50/50 allocation of certain revenue between publishers and authors.
• If your book is out of print, the publisher is out of business, or the rights have reverted to you for any other reason, you should claim 100%.
• If you have a copy of your contract readily at hand, you should provide it. If you do not, and the publisher disputes the percentage you have claimed, the settlement administrator will request a copy of the contract from you and from the publisher. You will have another opportunity to submit your contract.
• If you and the publisher do not agree on the percentage allocation (for example, if the publisher claims 85% or a 100%, and you are claiming 50%), the Claims Administrator will contact you to try and facilitate a resolution. If you do not agree with the outcome, you have the right to have a neutral special master determine the amount of your claim.

TAA Statement on Bartz v. Anthropic:

“Artificial intelligence poses a special threat to textbook and academic authors, who have throughout modern history been creators and custodians of the actual, human intelligence that is necessary to defend against the excesses, errors, and unintended consequences of overreliance on new technologies. The piracy of academic works and textbooks, which have shaped society by supporting the growth and development of generations through scholarly advancement and pedagogically sound educational materials, warrants the largest class action copyright settlement in history. We are hopeful that our legal system will provide protection to authors, where ethics and fairness have often failed.

The settlement is not enough. Textbook authors, in particular, continue to be in a pitched battle with certain educational publishers who refuse to negotiate fairly or honor prior commitments. The Textbook and Academic Authors Association has worked hard to support these authors, educate them about their rights, and provide support to them in their efforts to obtain a fair shake from these publishing relationships. We will continue to do so. While this settlement will not realign the relationship between publishers and authors, it is crucial that we send a united message—from authors and publishers alike—that we will not stand by while our work is stolen. In that respect, the $1.5 billion penalty on Anthropic serves its purpose, delivers that warning, and the settlement is a victory.”

Want to receive regular updates on the settlement, including guidance for textbook and academic authors filing claims? Join TAA today for only $30! Together, we are stronger.

Authors Guild Bartz v. Anthropic Information
National Writers Union Bartz v. Anthropic Information

Media Inquiries

We welcome questions from the media. TAA is uniquely positioned to advocate for textbook and academic authors in this settlement.

Download a PDF of TAA's September 25, 2025 press release
View TAA's Statement on the Settlement
Download a TAA logo

Media Contact:

Kim Pawlak
Executive Director
[email protected]
(507) 459-1363