Anthropic Settles Lawsuit for Using Pirated Material in AI Training

Anthropic is an American artificial intelligence (AI) startup founded in 2021 by former OpenAI executives Dario Amodei, Daniela Amodei, Jack Clark, Sam McCandlish, and Tom Brown. The founders left OpenAI over concerns about AI safety and alignment, particularly disagreeing on OpenAI’s partnerships and strategic direction. Anthropic was established as a public-benefit corporation, emphasizing the development of AI systems that are **safe, reliable, interpretable, and aligned with human values**—balancing shareholder interests with broader societal good[2][4][5]. Since its inception, Anthropic has rapidly grown both in workforce and market presence. From only 192 employees in 2022, it expanded to 1,097 employees globally by 2025, marking a nearly sixfold increase in three years, reflecting aggressive scaling especially in 2023-2024[1][3]. This workforce supports Anthropic’s mission to build large language models (LLMs) that are *helpful, honest, and harmless* while advancing techniques to make AI behavior more predictable and controllable[4]. Anthropic’s funding success is remarkable, having raised approximately $7.3 billion in multiple rounds within just a few years, including a $4 billion commitment from Amazon in 2024 and a record $13 billion financing round in September 2025. These investments have propelled the company's valuation to around $61.5 billion[2][3]. This financial backing underscores substantial investor confidence in Anthropic's vision and technology. The company is known for its flagship AI models like the “Claude” series, with recent releases such as Claude 3.5 and Claude Sonnet 4.5, which are competitive with industry leaders like GPT-4 in natural language understanding and coding tasks[2][6]. Anthropic also actively collaborates with academic institutions and regulators to formalize AI safety standards, reinforcing its leadership in ethical AI development[3].

**The Verge** is a prominent American technology news and media network that delivers fast-breaking tech news, in-depth long-form content, and a vibrant community experience centered on technology, science, art, and culture. Operated by Vox Media and headquartered in Manhattan, New York City, The Verge stands out for its innovative approach to digital publishing and multimedia storytelling[1][3]. Founded by former Engadget Editor-in-Chief Joshua Topolsky, The Verge launched as a re-imagined tech publication that combined rapid news updates with immersive editorial pieces, a balance that was unique at the time and contributed to it becoming one of the most successful blog launches ever[1]. Its homepage features a mobile-optimized, modular design that caters strongly to mobile users, who represent a significant portion of its traffic. The site integrates social media throughout its platform, including Facebook Connect and forums, enhancing content syndication and community engagement[1]. The Verge is notable for its distinctive visual style, which includes a unifying photographic treatment inspired by the colorful sheen of silicon wafers. This design element elevates the presentation of product imagery, setting it apart from other tech news sites that often rely on inconsistent visual styles[1]. Its editorial platform offers unique features such as article chaptering, which allows readers to navigate lengthy articles with ease, and modular flexibility that supports diverse content formats, from quick news updates to extensive investigative reports[1]. In terms of scale, The Verge operates within the publishing industry under Verge Creative Group, employing between 100 and 249 people with estimated revenues ranging from $5 million to $10 million[2]. Its blend of timely news, detailed analysis, multimedia content, and community interaction has made it a key player in technology journalism and a trusted source for business and tech enthusiasts looking to stay informed on industry trends and innovations.