OPP: Open Protocol for AI Image Provenance Survives Screenshots

The Open Provenance Protocol (OPP) emerges as a promising solution to the growing challenge of verifying the origin of AI-generated images. Unlike existing methods that rely on embedded metadata or probabilistic AI detectors, OPP utilizes a federated registry of AI image signatures, making it resilient to common manipulation techniques such as screenshots, crops, and compression. The protocol employs a tiered verification pipeline, leveraging SHA-256 for exact match detection, CLIP for semantic similarity, and PDQ for near-duplicate matching. This multi-layered approach ensures both speed and accuracy in identifying AI-generated content. The open nature of OPP is a key strength, as it encourages widespread adoption and interoperability among different AI generators and verification tools. By providing a standardized framework for minting and verifying AI image provenance, OPP can contribute to a more transparent and trustworthy AI image ecosystem. However, the success of OPP hinges on the willingness of AI generators to adopt the protocol and actively mint signatures for their images. If adoption remains limited, the protocol's ability to provide comprehensive provenance verification will be compromised, and the spread of AI-generated misinformation may continue unabated.