Can Blockchain Fix AI's "IP Problem"? With Story Protocol co-founder Jason Zhao

In this episode of The People’s AI, presented by Vana, we sit down with Jason Zhao, co-founder of Story Protocol, one of the most ambitious projects at the intersection of AI, blockchain, and intellectual property.

We explore how Story Protocol aims to reinvent the $61 trillion global IP economy by transforming IP into a liquid, programmable, and creator-friendly asset class. From Hollywood screenplays to DNA datasets, from fashion brands to decentralized fanfiction, Story is building the infrastructure to track, license, and monetize all forms of IP—seamlessly and transparently.

We dig into major use cases:

• [04:00] How IP inefficiencies punish creators—and how Story fixes that

• [07:40] Case studies in nontraditional IP: gene data (GenoBank) and fashion brands (Crocs, Balmain, Ablo)

• [08:10] Why Batman Begins writer David Goyer is launching a new sci-fi universe, Emergence, using Story Protocol

• [13:55] The roadmap for fan-owned franchises and decentralized content worlds

• [20:00] What happens when AI agents remix copyrighted music—and how revenue flows back to IP holders

• [25:00] The complexity of attribution in AI training vs. fine-tuning vs. output

• [30:00] The Studio Ghibli dilemma: viral GenAI trends vs. creator compensation

• [35:00] How Story Protocol could offer legal protection even when AI models ignore IP rules

• [38:30] Inside IP Portal: a GitHub-like hub where creators can register and license IP

• [41:24] The two biggest hurdles to mainstream adoption: legitimacy and scale

• [45:00] Why AI agents may become major users—and producers—of IP on Story Protocol

• [47:28] Predictions for 2025: AI models that share revenue with creators, and the rise of “licensed deepfakes”

We also discuss how legacy IP giants might integrate with decentralized systems, and what it means when your likeness—human or AI—is composable and monetizable across the internet.

If you’re curious about the future of AI, creators’ rights, and programmable culture, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.

Story Protocol:

https://linktr.ee/storyprotocol

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Vana's vision is for user-owned AI through user owned-data. Its mission is to be the world's first open protocol for data sovereignty.

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