A new approach to AI and intellectual property
Story Protocol, which focuses on intellectual property rights, and OpenLedger, an AI-native blockchain, have announced a partnership that could change how artificial intelligence systems use creative work. They’re creating a standard that lets AI legally access copyrighted material while ensuring creators get paid.
It’s a response to what’s been happening in the courts lately. AI-related lawsuits keep piling up, especially around intellectual property. Once creative work gets used by AI systems, tracking becomes nearly impossible. Creators often have little way to know if their work was used or how to get compensated.
How the system works
Here’s the basic idea: intellectual property registered on Story Protocol can be licensed specifically for AI training. OpenLedger then handles the enforcement side—making sure AI systems only use what they’re licensed for and automatically sending payments to rights holders.
They’re building what they call a “shared onchain standard” that records ownership details, usage permissions, and payment structures. Everything gets tracked on the blockchain, which means there’s a permanent record of who owns what and who gets paid.
“AI cannot scale on scraped data and legal ambiguity,” someone from OpenLedger said in the announcement. They have a point. If AI is becoming part of our economic infrastructure, then intellectual property needs to be respected by default. Not as an afterthought.
The bigger picture
The timing feels right for something like this. The global intellectual property market is massive—estimated at over $80 trillion according to recent data. That includes digital rights and real-world data. As AI systems consume more content, the need for clear rules becomes more urgent.
What’s interesting is how they describe the shift. Instead of “train now, litigate later,” they’re pushing for “use only what you can prove you’re allowed to use.” It’s a different mindset. One that tries to prevent problems rather than clean up messes afterward.
The system is designed so AI models only access material they’re licensed for, with usage that can be verified later. That’s the theory, anyway. Implementation might be trickier, but the concept makes sense.
Market reaction and what’s next
Interestingly, both companies’ tokens took a dip around the announcement. Story Protocol’s IP token was down about 9% over 24 hours, though it still showed gains over the past month. OpenLedger’s OPEN token dropped around 7% on the day.
Market movements don’t always reflect the substance of announcements, of course. Sometimes investors react to short-term factors rather than long-term potential.
I think what matters here is whether this approach can actually work at scale. Can blockchain technology effectively track AI usage across different platforms and systems? Will creators actually use it? Those are open questions.
But the attempt itself is noteworthy. As AI continues to evolve, we need better frameworks for handling intellectual property. This partnership represents one attempt to build those frameworks directly into the technology itself, rather than trying to bolt them on later.
It’s early days, but the direction seems right. If intelligence is becoming infrastructure, then the rules around how it’s built and what it uses need to be clear from the start.
