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NewsLos Angeles Times – CaliforniaOctober 25, 2026Los Angeles County

Elvis Presley catalog owners sue Anthropic alleging copyright infringement

Photo: Los Angeles Times – California

Rights-holders controlling 274 Elvis Presley songs filed a federal lawsuit Friday alleging that artificial intelligence company Anthropic used their compositions without permission to train its Claude AI model. The plaintiffs are seeking approximately $50 million in damages, court costs, and attorneys' fees, claiming the unauthorized use damages the value of the works. Anthropic stated Sunday that it disagrees with the claims and intends to defend the case fully.

Artificial IntelligenceCopyright LawMusic IndustryIntellectual PropertyLitigation
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Why It Matters

The outcome of this lawsuit could establish legal precedents regarding whether artificial-intelligence companies can utilize copyrighted musical compositions for training models without compensating rightsholders, impacting a sector facing multiple similar federal claims.

Key Facts

  • Rights-holders controlling 274 Elvis Presley songs filed a lawsuit against Anthropic in federal court in San Francisco.
  • The plaintiffs claim Anthropic used Presley's songs without permission or payment to train its Claude AI agent.
  • The lawsuit includes notable songs such as "All Shook Up," “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” “Don’t Be Cruel,” and “Return To Sender.”
  • Authentic Brands Group initiated the lawsuit alongside other legal entities owning the rights.
  • The plaintiffs are seeking roughly $50 million in damages, court costs, and attorneys' fees.
  • Anthropic stated through a spokesperson that it disagrees with the claims and intends to defend the case fully.
  • The lawsuit alleges that Anthropic stored the songs in a permanent central library to train successive generations of Claude models.
  • The plaintiffs' lawyers noted that at least six similar federal lawsuits are currently pending regarding musical compositions used to train AI.
  • The suit alleges that Anthropic removed identifying information from the works and kept profits generated from their unauthorized use.

Who's Mentioned

otherClaude“Online AI agent trained by Anthropic using the disputed songs.”PersonElvis Presley“Subject of the musical catalog whose rights are at the center of the copyright l”otherReturn To Sender“One of the 274 Elvis Presley songs included in the catalog control partnerships.”OrganizationAnthropic“Artificial intelligence company being sued for alleged copyright infringement.”otherCan’t Help Falling in Love“One of the 274 Elvis Presley songs included in the catalog control partnerships.”locationSan Francisco“Location of the federal court where the lawsuit was filed and where Anthropic is”otherAll Shook Up“One of the 274 Elvis Presley songs included in the catalog control partnerships.”OrganizationAuthentic Brands Group“Company that owns the rights to Presley and initiated the lawsuit.”otherDon’t Be Cruel“One of the 274 Elvis Presley songs included in the catalog control partnerships.”OrganizationBillboard“Music industry publication that reported on the lawsuit.”