AI Companies are Stealing from Artists and Getting Rich in the Process
Ohio Pen/10332628

COLUMBUS, Ohio - OhioPen -- Artists have always helped humanity see the world differently. Their creativity inspires, heals, challenges assumptions, and shapes culture. But according to entrepreneur Kary Oberbrunner, artists are now facing one of the greatest threats in creative history.

Artificial intelligence.

Through a new initiative called Protect the Art, artists can protect their intellectual property before it is copied, scraped, trained on, or monetized by AI systems thanks to Instant IP.

"Artists create some of the most valuable assets in the world," said Oberbrunner. "The problem is that many creators don't realize just how valuable their work has become until someone else starts profiting from it."

The launch comes amid growing concern throughout the creative community over AI-generated artwork, unauthorized training datasets, and the use of artists' creations without permission. Many creators fear that years of work can now be absorbed by AI systems in seconds and used to generate new content that competes directly with the original artist.

More on Ohio Pen

• Ghanaian Afrobeat Artist Praise Kusi Announces Upcoming EP "After 21:00" Releasing July 3, 2026
• TURRENTINE: A Family Legacy United Through Music
• AI Is Locking Singers and Musicians Out of Their Own Music
• Save 10 Percent Off Summer Stays at KeysCaribbean Resorts
• CGI Announces Pre-Order Launch for New Integrated Behavioral Health Book

For Oberbrunner, the issue is personal.

Multiple books he authored were used to train artificial intelligence systems without his permission. He also discovered instances where portions of his TEDx content appeared through AI-generated outputs and derivative online content.

"My books helped increase the value of AI companies," said Oberbrunner. "Artists are experiencing the same thing. Their art is now AI training material. Meanwhile, the original creator often receives no credit and no compensation."

According to Oberbrunner, the issue is accelerating because AI companies require a constant supply of new human-created content. As AI systems increasingly train on AI-generated material, quality declines, creating greater demand for original creative work.

"The world's most valuable AI systems depend on human creativity," said Oberbrunner. "That means artists have become one of the most valuable sources of data on earth."

Rather than encouraging creators to stop sharing their work, Protect the Art promotes a simple philosophy: Protect first. Promote second.

More on Ohio Pen

• CyberSight Announces Nighthawk, a Next-Generation Antivirus Built for Modern Threat Defense
• Infosaic Technologies Sees Rising Demand for Virtual Desktops Built for AI Agents, Not People
• High School Students Build Real Startups at Cedarville University's Entrepreneurship Camp
• PairQueue Expands Multi-Park Waitlist After Cedar Point Beta
• Prince George's County Students Now Have A Rare Opportunity In TV Film Production Career-readiness

The initiative integrates a blockchain solution. Traditional copyrights remain important. However, Protect the Art provides creators with an immediate first layer of protection.

The program is already attracting painters, illustrators, graphic designers, photographers, sculptors, digital artists, and creative professionals who want to document their work before sharing it online.

"For generations, artists have been told they must choose between creativity and business," said Oberbrunner. "That's a false choice. When artists value and protect their work, they gain confidence, create more freely, and build sustainable careers."

As part of the launch, artists can receive a complimentary IP protection credit: https://www.instantip.today/artist/

"The world needs more artists, not fewer," said Oberbrunner. "Keep creating. Just make sure your art is protected before it gets stolen by AI, misused, and abused."