AI, Ownership, and the Future of Content

Hey friends,

Let’s be honest—there’s a lot of noise out there right now. AI tools, media deals, lawsuits, new platforms. Everyone’s publishing. Everyone’s posting. Everyone’s building... something.

But few people are building things that actually last.

That’s what I want to talk about this month—building a creative legacy, not just content.

And it starts with one question:

If your ideas are training someone else’s machine, how much of the future do you still own?

The Real Cost of “More Content”

I’ve been in publishing long enough to know that content has always been currency. But now, we’re entering a new phase—where your blog post, your course module, your book excerpt might already be feeding an AI model. And not only did you not get paid—you may not even know it happened.

That’s why we’ve invited Paul Gerbino, a veteran in publishing and media licensing, to join us at this month’s DCC Roundtable. Paul’s been tracking AI-media deals up close—over 30 of them in the last 18 months.

One of the biggest risks we see—and Paul highlights this well—is what we call the “Good Enough” problem:

• AI tools are making derivative content fast and easy

• Summaries are replacing source materials

• Students, clients, and readers get used to shallow answers

• The creator gets cut out of the loop

If we don’t design systems that protect authorship, preserve quality, and credit the source, originality won’t just be under threat—it’ll be invisible.

From Creator to Owner (The Dan Koe Lens)

Now, if you follow Dan Koe, you’ve probably seen him talk about this shift too. He calls it the rise of the Value Creator—someone who doesn't just produce content, but builds systems of value around their knowledge.

And I couldn’t agree more.

That’s what Publishing 3.0 is all about:

• Not just writing books—but building libraries.

• Not just posting online—but owning your archive.

• Not just launching products—but designing platforms for legacy.

You can’t build a legacy if you don’t control your ideas. And you can’t control your ideas if your business depends entirely on borrowed infrastructure.

AI Isn’t the Enemy. But Blind Adoption Is.

AI isn’t good or bad—it’s fast. And speed without strategy is dangerous.

AI is already rewriting the rules:

• Media companies are signing 6- and 7-figure licensing deals for content libraries.

• Creators are unknowingly training models without credit or compensation.

• Copyright law? Still playing catch-up.

So where does that leave people like us? Self-publishers. Coaches. Small publication houses. People who teach, write, and lead with their own frameworks and philosophies.

It leaves us with a choice: Let platforms turn us into inputs—or build our own systems of ownership.

What We’ll Talk About at the Roundtable

That’s why we’re bringing Paul Gerbino in. To help unpack what’s actually happening behind the scenes—and what it means for the rest of us.

We’ll talk about:

• What these media licensing deals really mean for independent creators

• How to think about your content as licensable IP—not just social output

• What small creators can do now to build systems of protection and profit

• And why the future belongs to the ones who still control their message

📅 Date to be announced

📬 Register to get the invite first: digitalcc.us/roundtable

Final Thought

At DCC, we’ve never been in the business of just publishing. We’re in the business of helping people build something that lasts.

Something that outlives a single post. Outperforms a single algorithm. Outshines a single launch.

If you’re building a coaching business, a publishing company, a thought leadership platform—this isn’t just about protecting your work.

It’s about protecting your voice.

Let’s build something worth owning.

Warmly,

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