My First Million
The best business ideas come from noticing what's working and doing it better, faster, or for a different audience.
In AI celebrity/deepfake businesses, owning the rights is 100x more valuable than owning the technology
The Reasoning
Technology becomes commoditized quickly, but exclusive rights create permanent moats. Everyone can build deepfake tech, but only one company can own LeBron's digital rights
What Needs to Be True
- Deepfake technology continues improving
- Legal framework develops for digital likeness rights
- Celebrities see value in licensing their digital selves
Counterargument
Technology differentiation might matter more if quality differences are significant, or rights might be hard to enforce legally
What Would Change This View
Major technical breakthroughs creating sustainable tech moats, or legal system failing to protect digital rights
Implications for Builders
Focus business development over R&D in deepfake businesses
Prioritize exclusive partnerships with talent agencies
Build legal and licensing expertise, not just technology
Example Application
“Instead of building better deepfake algorithms, secure exclusive rights to top 100 athletes' digital likenesses and license them through APIs”