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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE. Thursday, September 25, 2025, LONDON, UK — The Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi), the global nonprofit association for self-publishing authors, today welcomed the latest clarification in the $1.5 billion Anthropic copyright settlement—while stressing the need for explicit recognition of author-publishers in AI licensing and deals between Big Tech and publishing.
This week, plaintiffs in the $1.5 billion case against Anthropic offered additional details on how payouts to rights holders will be distributed. The proposed framework introduces a default—but not mandatory—50/50 split between authors and publishers, while allowing for alternative contractual arrangements where evidence is provided.
While welcoming the progress, ALLi called attention to the lack of recognition by the courts and tech companies of self-publishing authors, who shoulder both creative and financial risk.
Orna Ross, novelist, poet, and founder-director of ALLi, said:
“We assume that for indie authors—who are both author and publisher—this settlement represents double recognition: of our author rights and our publishing rights.
Outside the courts, tech companies like Anthropic, OpenAI, and others are signing licensing deals with big publishing, but what about the author-publisher? Independent authors must be treated as full participants in copyright negotiations.”
Authors around the world are eligible to register with the US Copyright Office and recent legal developments mean many are now availing of that right.
ALLi emphasizes that self-publishers are the fastest-growing sector of the book world, responsible for millions of titles across formats and territories. Any settlement or licensing arrangement that overlooks author-publishers risks sidelining a significant share of the global market and undermining the principle of fair compensation for the creators whose work underpins AI training.
About the Self-Publishing Advice Conference
The Self-Publishing Advice Conference 2024 (#SelfPubCon24) is a premier global online event that offers independent authors expert guidance and resources to succeed in self-publishing. Held in association with the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi), the conference brings together industry experts and thought leaders to share actionable advice and strategies for profitable self-publishing.
About the Alliance of Independent Authors
The Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi) is a global membership association that provides trusted advice, advocacy, and community for self-publishing authors. Founded in 2012, ALLi campaigns for ethics and excellence in self-publishing and represents independent authors’ interests worldwide.
Learn more at: AllianceIndependentAuthors.org
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