AI Training Availability

Why this matters

AI companies are training models on creative work at an unprecedented scale. Most of the time, they don't ask permission first. Creators are left with no practical way to say “this is mine, and here's what I allow.”

Sourcemark changes that. When you sourcemark your work, you make a clear, timestamped declaration about whether your content is available for AI training. That declaration is machine-readable, publicly checkable, and tied to your identity as the creator.

Your options

When you create a Sourcemark record, you choose one of two AI training positions:

Not available for AI training— You do not consent to your work being used for AI model training. Full stop. This is a clear, unambiguous signal to anyone — human or automated — that your content should not be ingested for training purposes.

Available by licence— You're open to licensing your work for AI training, under terms you control. This doesn't grant blanket permission. It signals that you're willing to have a conversation, and provides a contact pathway so interested parties can reach you.

Important

There is no default. You make an active choice, and that choice is recorded.

How it works

Your AI training declaration is stored as part of your Sourcemark record. It is:

Timestamped— The exact date and time of your declaration is recorded, creating a clear before-and-after for any dispute about when consent was or wasn't given.
Machine-readable— AI companies and compliance tools can query the Sourcemark registry programmatically to check your declaration before ingesting your work.
Tied to your record — The declaration lives alongside your other record details (timestamp, licensing info, contact details) on a single verification page that anyone can check.

What Sourcemark does and doesn't do

Sourcemark makes your choice visible and verifiable. It does not enforce that choice. No tool can physically prevent an AI company from using your work if they choose to ignore your declaration.

What Sourcemark does is remove ambiguity. An AI company that ingests your work after you've declared it not available can no longer claim they didn't know. Your declaration is public, timestamped, and on the record.

For creators who choose “available by licence,” Sourcemark creates a structured path for licensing conversations that wouldn't otherwise happen.

Changing your mind

You can update your AI training preference at any time. Your previous declarations are preserved in the record history, so there's a clear timeline of what you allowed and when.

This matters for disputes. If your work was ingested during a period when you had it marked as not available, the historical record supports your position — even if you later changed it to available.

An important principle

Note

The absence of a Sourcemark declaration is not consent. Creators shouldn't need to opt out of something they never opted into. Sourcemark exists so that when you do make a choice, it's recorded clearly and permanently.

Ready to record your preference? Get started with your first Sourcemark.