Who is Daniel Aharonoff?

Daniel Aharonoff is a technology investor and entrepreneur with over 25 years of experience in the digital media sector. He is currently focused on exploring the potential of blockchain and artificial intelligence to create innovative solutions to real-world problems. Through his company, BroadScaler Consulting, Daniel has shaped the digital strategies of leading entertainment, SaaS, and consumer marketing brands. He's also the co-founder of VideoDome Networks and his latest venture, ATM.TV, is a joint venture with 7-Eleven.

What is VideoDome Networks?

VideoDome Networks is a middleware online video platform provider, co-founded by Daniel Aharonoff, which gained attention from movie and television studios, leading to partnerships with industry icons such as NBC, Fox Kids, and Haim Saban.

ATM.TV is a joint venture with 7-Eleven that monetizes their nearly 9,000 nationwide in-store screens, reaching more than 5 billion verified impressions per year. ATM.TV provides the opportunity to deliver targeted, high-definition digital images to consumers at the point of their final buying decisions. It has attracted several hundred notable brand advertisers and is thriving.

AI Scraping YouTube: Impact on Creators and Solutions

Produced by Daniel Aharonoff & Mogul Media AI - July 19, 2024

In the ever-evolving landscape of technology, the boundaries between creativity and artificial intelligence are becoming increasingly blurred. Recently, an investigation by Wired and Proof News revealed that the transcripts of YouTube videos from popular creators like MrBeast, John Oliver, and even established institutions like the Wall Street Journal have been scraped to train AI models for companies such as Anthropic, Nvidia, Apple, and Salesforce. This dataset, known as “YouTube Subtitles,” comprises transcripts from over 3 million YouTube videos across more than 100,000 different channels.

The Scope of AI Scraping

AI scraping is not an isolated issue but a widespread concern in the tech industry. The practice involves extracting large amounts of data from various sources to train machine learning models. While this can lead to significant advancements in AI capabilities, it raises ethical and legal questions about consent and intellectual property.

Efforts to Combat AI Scraping

Several individuals and organizations are actively working to protect creators’ rights and limit unauthorized data usage:

Jingna Zhang, an artist and founder of the app Cara, has developed a social platform designed to safeguard artists from being exploited by AI. The platform ensures that artists retain control over their work and how it is used.
The University of Chicago is pioneering a project called Nightshade, which aims to “poison” images. This technique involves embedding subtle alterations into images that disrupt the data extraction process, rendering the images less useful for AI training purposes.

The Future of Data Protection for Creators

Despite these efforts, the question remains: Can creators truly protect themselves from being the next target of AI scraping? As technology continues to advance, the methods used to extract and utilize data are likely to become more sophisticated. Creators may need to adopt a multi-faceted approach, combining legal, technological, and community-driven strategies to safeguard their intellectual property.

Final Thoughts

The intersection of AI and creativity presents both opportunities and challenges. While AI can enhance our understanding and interaction with content, it also poses significant risks to the rights of creators. As the tech industry continues to grapple with these issues, it is crucial for all stakeholders to collaborate on developing ethical guidelines and robust protections that balance innovation with respect for individual creativity.