Overlay launches Aptos to protect creator rights in the AI era
Overlai has introduced a new tool designed to help creators protect the ownership of their photos online. The newly launched beta version of Overlai’s mobile app and Adobe plugin leverages the Aptos blockchain, promising to protect photographers’ rights in an era increasingly dominated by generative AI.
Co-founded by renowned photographers Paul Nicklen and Cristina Mittermeier, Overlai addresses artists’ growing concerns about losing control of their creations in the digital space. This solution inserts an invisible watermark into the photo’s metadata, ensuring ownership information remains intact no matter how widely the image is shared or altered online.
This innovative approach uses the Aptos blockchain to securely store creator credentials and ensures that every image watermarked by Overlai is linked to its original creator. The watermark persists even after various modifications, including screenshots, compression, and format conversion, providing a strong defense against unauthorized use.
Adding an extra layer of protection, Overlai has introduced an optional feature that allows photographers to declare images as prohibited for AI training purposes. “Do not train” C2PA manifest claims allow creators to prevent AI from using their images in the machine learning process, thereby addressing concerns about AI’s reappropriation of copyrighted material.
The choice of Aptos blockchain is strategic. Known for its low latency and high throughput capabilities, Aptos allows Overlai to provide scalable and reliable services to customers around the world without compromising speed or availability. This technology backbone is critical to handling the significant volume of transactions and interactions expected on the Overlai platform.
“Protecting our intellectual property and copyright is not just for financial gain. It’s about maintaining the integrity of creative expression,” said Paul Nicklen, Overlai co-founder and renowned National Geographic photographer. “Through the decentralization and security features of the Aptos blockchain, we are pioneering a new digital era that places high value on individual creators.”
Avery Ching, CTO of Aptos Labs, also emphasized the importance of this innovation. “Overlai demonstrates the potential of decentralization to empower creators. By enabling them to maintain ownership and control of their assets, we are setting a new standard for how technology supports artistic endeavors.”
Luke Neumann, co-founder and CEO of Overlai, echoed this sentiment, saying, “Our platform’s end-to-end decentralized infrastructure is geared toward setting a new benchmark for how creators can responsibly leverage AI technology.” I did.
As Overlai releases its beta version to the public, creators both inside and outside the Aptos ecosystem can begin experimenting with these new tools, potentially setting a precedent for how digital content will be managed and protected in the future.
