What the Anthropic Case Signals for the Future of AI, Copyright & Ethical Development

As AI accelerates, so does the weight of the questions we’re forced to ask — not just about what’s possible, but what’s right. A recent ruling in the Bartz v. Anthropic case — one of the most significant copyright decisions in the AI era — reminds us that the foundation we build on matters.

The court held that training AI models on lawfully acquired copyrighted books may fall under fair use. But it also drew a line: scraping pirated books does not. That second part is going to trial. The message is clear — how data is sourced isn’t just technical. It’s legal. It’s ethical. And soon, it may be existential for startups and developers alike.

As someone trained in law but deeply engaged with technology, I see this not only as a legal shift, but a moment of collective responsibility. It raises difficult, necessary questions:

• Are developers being given the tools to understand IP risks?

• Can lawyers keep up with the speed of code and scraping tools?

• What does “ethical training” mean when the internet is our training ground?

These are the kinds of questions I’m exploring in my upcoming ebook: AI & Scraped Data: A Legal Field Guide for Developers, Lawyers & Innovators. It’s now available for pre-order, and if you work at the intersection of innovation, law, and ethics — I’d love your input as I write!

Your voice matters. Your questions matter. This isn’t just a book — it’s a shared inquiry into where we go next. Pre-order the guide here

And if you’ve been thinking about the implications of the Anthropic case — I’d love to hear your thoughts.