Artists launch blockchain tool to defend creative ownership from AI

The tool is being touted as a digital safety net for artists in a fast-evolving tech era.

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A pair of artists have launched a new app aimed at helping creators secure their work against the growing reach of artificial intelligence, as concerns mount over AI’s use of human-generated content.

The app, named ARK, was developed by screenwriter Ed Bennett-Coles and songwriter Jamie Hartman. It uses blockchain technology to log creative ownership from concept to completion, offering a decentralised safeguard for writers, musicians, and other creators.

“AI is coming in and taking jobs,” Hartman told AFP. “This is our work. It’s human. And we decide what it’s worth.”

The platform allows users to register demos, scripts or any creative file, with additional features like biometric verification, NDAs, and blockchain time stamps designed to help prove ownership. It also enables collaborators to track their contributions in real time.

Bennett-Coles said the idea was born from his “career death moment” after reading about AI’s first attempt at screenwriting back in 2008. Now, nearly two decades later, ARK aims to offer a solution by “ring-fencing” the creative process.

The app, set for a full launch in summer 2025, has secured investment from Claritas Capital and partnered with performing rights organisation BMI.

Its creators hope it will stand up in court as legal proof of authorship via blockchain-backed “smart contracts”.

“Copyright is a good principle—if you can prove it,” Hartman said. “Why not update how that’s done?”

The initiative reflects growing unease in the creative sector over AI’s rapid adoption and its potential to undercut traditional forms of artistic labour.

“Growth for growth’s sake is the philosophy of the cancer cell,” Bennett-Coles said, adding that AI often dismisses the value of the creative journey.

The developers argue ARK is not just a tool, but a necessary defence mechanism for creators in the digital age.