Anthropic, Music Publishers Spar Over AI’s Lyrical Intentions

A California judge prodded lawyers for music publishers and AI provider Anthropic PBC over fair use and a proposed preliminary injunction that would bar Anthropic’s products from reproducing copyrighted song lyrics.

Eight music publishers—including Universal Music Corp. and Concord Music Group—sparred with the Amazon-backed AI company during a four-hour hearing Monday about whether use of protected song lyrics to train models qualifies as fair use or copyright infringement. The publishers’ motion seeks to require Anthropic to maintain guardrails preventing its products from reproducing copyrighted lyrics. They also want to block the company from training future models on protected lyrics.

Anthropic’s ...