For decades, media power has been concentrated in the hands of large platforms. Creators often struggle to protect their work, earn fair compensation, or even understand where their content is being used. Licensing remains very slow, contracts are buried in paperwork, and intermediaries capture most of the value. These inefficiencies have accelerated the decline of traditional media, leaving creators searching for new paths to fairness and transparency.
Why the Old Model No Longer Works
The current media system is outdated. Contracts take weeks or months to process, while viral content can reach a million in seconds. Rights are often unclear, and revenue distribution is rarely transparent. Even when deals are signed, creators are often left in the dark about the actual value their work generates. This broken model makes it hard for artists, filmmakers, and independent producers to sustain their careers.
AI and Web3 Are Tools, Not Buzzwords
Emerging technologies offer a different path forward. Web3 introduces decentralized systems that can eliminate middlemen by recording ownership and licensing directly on blockchain networks. Smart contracts automate payments, while NFTs provide digital proof of rights that cannot be altered or duplicated. At the same time, artificial intelligence is reshaping media production. Hyper-realistic AI tools can create virtual environments, enhance editing, or even generate digital characters, reducing costs while expanding creative possibilities.
Together, these two forces don’t replace creativity; they empower it. They enable an individual creator to scale their ideas globally without relying entirely on legacy studios or centralized platforms.
According to the International Data Corporation (IDC), global data consumption is expected to reach 175 zettabytes by 2025. Without systems that can manage and protect this scale of content, creators risk being left behind.
A Platform for the People Who Make the Content
The future of media will be built on borderless systems that combine fairness, transparency, and scalability. Analysts expect the creator economy, already valued at over USD 250 billion, to quadruple in the coming years. That growth will depend on solutions that give creators ownership of their work while allowing them to reach global audiences on their own terms.
This is the vision that has guided my own work. At MILC, the Media Industry Licensing Content platform, we are building an infrastructure that combines Web3 transparency with AI efficiency – one that is compliant with European regulations like MiCA and the AI Act. The goal is simple: to give creators, from solo artists to major studios, the tools they need to own, license, and monetize their work on their own terms.
The media industry is on the brink of transformation. Those who adapt will not only survive, but they will also lead. I believe Web3 and AI are not trends but the backbone of a new creative economy, one where the people who make the content finally have the power to shape their own future.
About MILCHendrik Hey is the Founder of MILC (Media Industry Licensing Content), a pioneering company in the blockchain and metaverse space, with a strong background in media and content. MILC operates a real-life metaverse platform that serves not only the media industry but also various industrial use cases. The company also focuses on Web3 consulting, aiming to support complex real-world industries on their way into Web3. MILC is a sister company of European media giant Welt der Wunder, which Hey founded over 25 years ago. For more information, please visit https://www.milc.global
