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What Is Timestamping AI-Generated IP?

What Is Timestamping AI-Generated IP?

AI-generated content—like text, images, or code—can be protected and proven to have existed at a certain point in time using blockchain timestamping. This doesn’t store the content itself on the blockchain but stores a digital fingerprint (hash) of it, proving its existence without revealing the content.

Step-by-Step Workflow Explained

1. Generate a Cryptographic Hash

  • You take the raw AI-generated content (e.g., an essay, image, or code snippet).

  • Use a cryptographic hash function like SHA-256 to create a fixed-length fingerprint of the data.

  • Example:

    • Input: “My original AI art.”

    • Output Hash: 1a79a4d60de6718e8e5b326e338ae533

➡️ This hash is unique to that exact content. If even one comma changes, the hash changes completely.

2. Broadcast a Minimal Blockchain Transaction

  • You embed this hash into a blockchain transaction.

  • Two common ways:

    • Bitcoin: Use the OP_RETURN field, which lets you store a small amount of arbitrary data in a transaction.

    • Ethereum: Add the hash as data in a smart contract call or transaction input.

  • Once broadcast, the transaction is written immutably to the blockchain.

➡️ The blockchain acts like a global notary: it confirms the hash was published at a specific time.

3. Proof-of-Existence

  • Later, if someone challenges the originality of your work, you can:

    • Recompute the hash from your AI-generated content.

    • Compare it to the on-chain hash and timestamp.

  • If they match, and the blockchain confirms the timestamp, you’ve proven:

    • You had that content at that date and time.

    • The content wasn’t modified (hash wouldn’t match otherwise).

    • You don’t need to expose the content in public!

️ Technical Tools Used

Languages:

  • Python or Node.js are commonly used for automating the hashing and transaction-sending process.

Libraries:

  • bitcoinjs-lib: A JavaScript library to create Bitcoin transactions.

  • web3.js: A JavaScript library for interacting with Ethereum, including sending transactions and writing data.

Infrastructure Tools (RPC Access):

  • Infura, Alchemy, and Chainstack are services that let your app talk to the blockchain without running your own full node.

    • You use them to send the hash-containing transaction to the Bitcoin or Ethereum network.

Merkle Tree Aggregation (Advanced Optimization):

  • If you want to timestamp many files at once, you can hash all the hashes into a Merkle Tree.

  • The Merkle Root (a single hash summarizing all content) is what you publish on-chain.

  • This reduces fees and improves scalability.

✅ Real-World Use Case

Let’s say you use an AI to write a screenplay. You want to prove it’s your original work.

  1. You hash the screenplay using SHA-256.

  2. You broadcast a transaction on Ethereum that contains this hash.

  3. A year later, someone publishes a similar script claiming it’s theirs.

  4. You recompute your original hash and show that the Ethereum blockchain had this fingerprint over a year ago—proving it was yours first.

Why Is This So Powerful?

  • Immutable: Once on the blockchain, it can’t be changed or backdated.

  • Private: You don’t reveal the actual IP.

  • Verifiable: Anyone can independently verify the timestamp.