Generative AI Output Authentication With Embedded Key Attribution

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Solution Overview

Problem

Generative AI models lack authentication and attribution mechanisms, making it difficult to enforce intellectual property rights, prevent misuse, and distinguish between synthetic and real data, particularly with deepfake technology.

Innovation Solution

Implementing an authentication key system within generative AI models to authenticate and embed metadata in outputs, ensuring higher quality when the key is valid, and reducing quality when invalid, with the ability to extract authentication and metadata from the output.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If generative AI models are made accessible without authentication, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability and intellectual property protection deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccessibility of generative AI modelVSAvoidauthentication and attribution capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The authentication key is embedded in the output during the generation process itself, before any potential misuse can occur. This preliminary embedding of authentication information ensures that verification can happen downstream without blocking initial access, thus maintaining ease of operation while establishing reliability controls.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The authentication key acts as an intermediary element that is embedded within the generated output. This intermediary carries authentication and attribution information without interfering with the primary function of the generative AI model, allowing both unrestricted access and reliable verification.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If authentication keys are embedded in all outputs, then reliability and attribution are improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontent authentication capabilityVSAvoidmodel architecture complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The authentication key embedding is merged with the primary content generation function. The same generative AI model that produces the main output also embeds the authentication key, eliminating the need for separate authentication hardware or software components and thus avoiding increased device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The generative AI model is designed to perform multiple functions: generating the primary content output and simultaneously embedding authentication keys with metadata. This multi-functionality approach allows reliability improvements without adding dedicated authentication infrastructure, maintaining simplicity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Reliability

If output quality is reduced for unauthorized users, then reliability and IP protection are improved, but ease of operation deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveintellectual property protectionVSAvoiduser experience consistency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system changes the parameter of output quality based on authentication status. Validated outputs receive full quality with embedded authentication keys, while unauthorized outputs have quality reduced. This parameter change approach allows differentiated access control without creating separate systems, maintaining ease of operation through a unified interface.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP4700615A1Key-based generative artificial intelligence model content generation
Publication Date: 2026.02.25 SONY GROUP CORP
  • EP4700615A1 patent drawingFigure 1A
  • EP4700615A1 patent drawingFigure 1B
  • EP4700615A1 patent drawingFigure 1C

AI summary

In some implementations, a system may receive an authentication key associated with authenticating use of a generative AI model. The system may receive an input prompt. The system may generate, using the generative AI model, an output based on the input prompt. The authentication key is embedded within the output. A quality of the output is higher when the authentication key is valid than when the authentication key is not valid.