What Is New With Artificial Intelligence Class Actions in October 2026? Latest court filings and settlement notices and Key Takeaways

October 2026 brings a new AI pricing lawsuit against McDonald's plus active claim deadlines for Apple device owners. A class action, a lawsuit filed for a large group with shared claims, is also moving forward for Google Assistant users and AI creator disputes. The newest filing alleges McDonald's franchise software pools sales data to guide menu prices. Open claim windows, closed claim windows, and creator settlements together set the key takeaways for consumers this month.

Official resources:

Read the official notice from Nypost — Use this primary source to verify the official announcement.
Check eligibility on Openclassactions’s official study page — Use this page to check the study’s participation requirements.

What does the new McDonald's AI pricing case allege?
Can you still claim money in the Apple Siri settlement?
Where does the Google Assistant payout stand?
What are the Anthropic and Suno creator cases about?
Frequently Asked Questions

What does the new McDonald's AI pricing case allege?

Consumer Michael Thomas filed a proposed nationwide antitrust class action on Oct. 2, 2026 in N.D. Illinois. The suit claims an AI pricing tool pools nonpublic store sales data to coordinate menu prices. The Associated Press via Broadband Breakfast reported the filing on Oct.

7, 2026 in the McDonald's AI pricing lawsuit report. The case focuses on price recommendations sent to U.S. franchisees. Consumers are the proposed class, not franchise owners. McDonald's told the AP the suit is filled with inaccuracies. The company said AI does not set prices, franchisees set prices, and the tools are optional and do not automate or fix pricing.

Can you still claim money in the Apple Siri settlement?

Yes, if you bought a qualifying iPhone for use in the United States. Apple's $250M deceptive-marketing settlement for Siri and Apple Intelligence opened claims Sept. 21, 2026. The New York Post described the claims launch in the Apple $250 million claim announcement.

The filing site is SmartphoneAISettlement.com, with at least $25 per device and a Dec. 21, 2026 filing deadline. Keep proof of purchase and current contact details with your claim. Eligibility covers seven models: Payment still requires final approval on Feb. 24, 2027 plus any appeals, so do not expect immediate payout.

iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max
iPhone 16, 16e, and 16 Plus
iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max

Where does the Google Assistant payout stand?

The claim period is closed, so new filings are no longer accepted. The $68M Google Assistant privacy settlement closed claims Aug. 27, 2026 with more than 1.5 million claims. OpenClassActions updated the payout estimate on Sept. 26, 2026 in the Google Assistant payout update. The administrator preliminarily estimates $8 to $20 per point ahead of the Oct.

1, 2026 final-approval hearing before Judge Freeman. Final per-person amounts depend on valid claims, deductions, and court approval. The case is In re Google Assistant Privacy Litigation, No. 5:19-cv-04286-BLF. It alleges false-accept recordings and disclosure to third-party reviewers. Google denies wrongdoing and no payment date is set.

What are the Anthropic and Suno creator cases about?

These cases concern writers and musicians rather than device buyers. Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín gave final approval around July 20, 2026 to Anthropic's $1.5B copyright class settlement. That deal covers about 482,000 books allegedly taken from LibGen and PiLiMi to train Claude. It is described as the largest U.S. copyright settlement.

It does not create a consumer claim form. A separate proposed class action was filed Sept. 1, 2026 in Massachusetts federal court by musicians Jason Isbell, David Lowery, Guy Forsyth and Ed Calle. The suit alleges Suno AI violates state publicity rights by using names as keys to generate songs, descriptions and images. No consumer filing step exists for shoppers in either creator case.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to join the McDonald's case to benefit?

No filing step exists now. It is a proposed class action, so watch for certification, settlement, and claim instructions.

I missed the Google Assistant deadline. Can I file late?

No. Claims closed Aug. 27, 2026. Only timely filers can receive payment if the court grants final approval.

When will Apple pay approved claimants?

Only after final approval on Feb. 24, 2027 and resolution of any appeals. Keep your claim confirmation until payments are announced.