The Future of Content Monetization in the Age of AI
M2M payments and provenance provide tools for content businesses getting crushed by AI
Today, we're going to look at the future of content businesses in the age of AI. Namely, how two pieces of crypto + ai infrastructure, machine-to-machine (M2M) payments and provenance, will provide solutions to the ad-based business models that are getting disrupted today.
AI providers need data to train their models, the more unique the data, the better the benefit for that AI model. That means AI models are scraping every part of the public web, including sites like NYTimes, TripAdvisor, and other niche sites that rely on human eyeballs on ads to monetize.
If AI agents consume most of the content, advertising won’t monetize this consumption. Large companies are already suing companies like OpenAI for scraping their data into the models. Creating new tensions between legacy players and a better consumer experience. This business model disruption creates new demand for machine-to-machine (M2M) payments.
Imagine a world where your AI assistant pays small amounts to access the content you need. This transactional content consumption model could redefine the way we interact with the internet. Your AI agent pays the content provider on your behalf, and they allow access to their data. However, implementing such a system requires a business model where every AI has contractual relationships with every content provider. Or, instead, a decentralized model would work better. As it would be open and permissionless so AI agent and content provider could transact without an existing agreement in place.
Another key concept in this new era of AI and content is 'provenance'. Knowing where content comes from, who or what created it, and when it was created is crucial in the fight against misinformation. This is where blockchain technology steps in, providing a secure and transparent record of content creation and distribution.
Trust and safety are significant concerns in this context. AI brands need to address the challenge of provenance to protect their reputation. In an era of misinformation, creating a safe space where people can access trusted content is vital. If OpenAi begins to spout false information or heavily biased information, it will no longer be a trusted source to use.
How do we combat bad data feeding AI? Better tracking as to where the data originated.
The Content Authenticity Initiative (CAI), or CP2A, comprising companies like Adobe and Google, is working towards establishing content provenance. Their efforts are focused on signing content, but blockchain technology provides an additional layer of security by sequencing and timestamping, recording exactly what happened when.
By focusing on creating 'well-lit' spaces where people can access trusted content, we can build a more reliable and efficient digital ecosystem. The goal is not to 'fix' the entire digital world but to create safe, opt-in spaces where truth and fairness are the norms.
The future of AI, blockchain, and M2M payments lies in how we navigate these challenges. Careful planning, collaboration, and a strong commitment to open standards and safety are essential.
Want to continue the conversation?
I’m excited to spend more time looking at the intersection of crypto + AI. I’m also actively playing around with general AI tools too, so if you’re curious, let’s connect.
Find me on X at @br_ttany.