Reinventing Intellectual Property Rights Protection in an Era of Generative AI: The Synergy of Polycentric Governance and Blockchain Technology

Abstract

The intersection of intellectual property (IP) rights with large language models (LLMs) presents a critical challenge: ensuring the protection and enforcement of these rights in a digital landscape where content can be easily accessed and utilized without clear authorization. This challenge is compounded by the technological capabilities of LLMs, which, through their training on vast datasets, might incorporate and reproduce proprietary information. We argue that polycentric governance and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) could be effective tools for addressing the complexities of digital IP rights. This paper outlines the problem of IP rights in the era of LLMs, explicates the role of polycentricity in enhancing enforcement mechanisms, and assesses the operationalization of IP rights through NFTs.

Keywords: Artificial intelligence, non-fungible tokens, NFTs, Intellectual Property, Cryptocurrency, Polycentricity, Large language Models JEL Classification: O34

JEL Classification: O34, O38, O33, K11, K24