Key Takeaways
- Jason Zhao co-founded Story Protocol, using blockchain to improve intellectual property management and licensing.
- Before blockchain, Zhao worked at DeepMind, where he helped develop AI models for industrial and enterprise applications.
- Zhao has researched how AI, VR, and interactive media change scriptwriting and digital storytelling.
Who Is Jason Zhao?
Jason Zhao is the co-founder and Head of Protocol at Story Protocol, a platform that leverages blockchain to make managing intellectual property easier. Before working in blockchain, Zhao gained experience in AI at DeepMind. He aims to improve how intellectual property ownership and licensing are handled more transparently and efficiently. Zhao studied Philosophy at Oxford University and later earned a BA in Philosophy and an MS in Computer Science from Stanford University.
Background and Early Career
Jason Zhao is the co-founder and Head of Protocol at Story Protocol, a platform focused on improving intellectual property management through blockchain technology. Before transitioning into blockchain, he worked at DeepMind as a product manager, where he played a key role in implementing AI models for industrial and enterprise use.
Interest in Script Writing and Technology
Along with his work in AI, Zhao has a strong foundation in design education and has been involved in research exploring how script writing connects with new technology. He has studied how digital tools, such as virtual reality, interactive media, and AI-generated content, change how scripts are written and shared.
His experience in this area has given him a clear understanding of how creative content, including films, television shows, and digital storytelling, is developed, distributed, and turned into income through platforms like streaming services, NFTs, and online marketplaces.
Transition to Blockchain and Intellectual Property
As decentralized finance (DeFi) became more popular, Zhao saw how blockchain could help fix problems in managing intellectual property. He understood that intellectual property is valuable but also difficult, with issues around ownership, licensing, and making money from creative work that can be challenging to handle.
Founding Story Protocol
As AI plays a bigger role in content creation, Zhao realized the need for a decentralized system to manage intellectual property rights. This led him to create Story Protocol, which aims to provide a clear, efficient, and fair way for creators to track, protect, and share their intellectual property. Using blockchain, he hopes to give creators more control over their work while ensuring intellectual property stays accessible and properly credited in a fast-changing digital world.
Fixing IP with Blockchain
On the Epicenter Podcast, Jason Zhao talked about problems with intellectual property (IP) and how blockchain can help. He explained that IP deals are too expensive, difficult, and unclear, making it hard for most creators while big companies benefit. As AI creates more content, these issues will get worse. Story Protocol wants to solve this by using smart contracts to connect legal agreements, making IP deals easier and clearer. Zhao compared this to how blockchain changed banking and said it could do the same for IP.
Blockchain for IP Protection
In an episode of CoinDesk, Zhao explained that Story Protocol is designed to help creators manage intellectual property using blockchain. The platform lets users register digital or physical content in a structured system, making it easier to track ownership and licensing. It also automates royalty payments and ensures fair credit and revenue sharing by using blockchain’s open and reliable framework.
Challenges and Industry Adoption
Although blockchain can solve many problems, Zhao understands that getting industries to use it is not easy. Legal rules, approval from businesses, and working with existing IP systems are still obstacles. However, he believes that blockchain’s ability to make things clearer and more efficient will help bring lasting changes to the creative industry.
Vision for the Future of IP
Zhao believes blockchain can change how intellectual property is managed, making it easier and fairer for creators. As AI-generated content becomes more common, he sees a future where IP rights can be tracked, shared, and protected without relying on difficult legal processes. He hopes blockchain will help creators get the credit and payment they deserve while making it easier for people to work together and create new ideas.
Final Thoughts
Jason Zhao went from AI research to blockchain to make handling intellectual property easier. With Story Protocol, he wants to help creators protect and manage their work in a clear and fair way. As AI-generated content grows, his idea of using blockchain could change how creative work is shared and credited. There are still challenges, but his work is pushing for a future where creators have more control and get the credit they deserve.
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