After a federal judge delayed approval of what would be the largest copyright settlement in U.S. history, objectors are raising eyebrows over lawyer fees and minimal payouts to authors.

The delay comes as authors argue that lawyers’ compensation is excessive, with some estimates suggesting hourly rates could exceed $10,000 per hour. The judge asked for a breakdown of these fees, while objectors cited the T-Mobile case to back their claims.

One author, Pierce Story, suggested that every dollar taken by counsel is a dollar less for those harmed. He criticized the compensation structure, which ties lawyers’ earnings to the full settlement fund rather than individual payouts, leaving many unregistered authors without hope of remuneration.

The debate highlights the complexities and challenges in fair compensation for intellectual property, especially as AI firms increasingly use copyrighted material to train models. It’s a reminder that even with massive settlements, not everyone may be happy with how the money is distributed.