POLISCOPE
Back to feed
NewsLos Angeles TimesOctober 25, 2026Los Angeles County

Elvis Presley catalog owners sue Anthropic alleging copyright infringement

Photo: Los Angeles Times

Rights holders for 274 Elvis Presley songs filed a federal lawsuit in San Francisco alleging that artificial intelligence company Anthropic used their copyrighted music without permission to train its Claude AI assistant. The plaintiffs are seeking approximately $50 million in damages, court costs, and attorneys' fees, while an Anthropic spokesperson stated the company intends to vigorously defend the case.

Artificial IntelligenceCopyright LawMusic IndustryIntellectual PropertyLitigation
Read the full story at Los Angeles Times

Why It Matters

The lawsuit tests legal boundaries for generative artificial intelligence companies using copyrighted artistic works for training data, with tens of millions of dollars in potential damages at stake for music catalog owners and technology developers.

Key Facts

  • Partnerships controlling 274 Elvis Presley songs filed a lawsuit against Anthropic in federal court in San Francisco.
  • The plaintiffs allege Anthropic used their copyrighted music without permission or payment to train its Claude AI model.
  • The lawsuit seeks approximately $50 million in damages, plus reimbursement for court costs and attorneys' fees.
  • The complaint states that Anthropic removed identifying information from the works and stored them in a permanent central library for training purposes.
  • An Anthropic spokesperson stated the company disagrees with the claims and intends to defend the case fully.
  • The plaintiffs' lawyers noted at least half a dozen similar pending federal lawsuits regarding musical compositions used to train AI.
  • The lawsuit claims Anthropic's actions allow users to generate derivative songs that mimic the structure and hooks of original compositions without compensating rightsholders.

Who's Mentioned

PersonElvis Presley“Original artist whose song catalog is the subject of the copyright lawsuit.”otherReturn To Sender“One of the 274 Elvis Presley songs controlled by the plaintiffs.”OrganizationAnthropic“Artificial intelligence company sued for alleged copyright infringement.”otherCan’t Help Falling in Love“One of the 274 Elvis Presley songs controlled by the plaintiffs.”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 controlled by the plaintiffs.”OrganizationAuthentic Brands Group“Rightsholder that initiated the lawsuit along with other legal entities.”otherDon’t Be Cruel“One of the 274 Elvis Presley songs controlled by the plaintiffs.”OrganizationBillboard“Music industry publication that reported on the lawsuit.”OrganizationClaude“Online artificial intelligence agent developed by Anthropic.”