Need brutal feedback: real startup or easy to copy?

Been thinking about a startup idea and wanted to get real opinions on it.

The concept is basically around AI digital doubles/likeness rights.

The idea would be to help artists, creators, athletes, public figures, etc. create and license their AI double (face, voice, likeness, persona, all of that) in a way that’s actually authorized and commercially usable.

So instead of random AI clones floating around online, it would be more like:

•	this person approved it

•	this is how it can be used

•	this is who can license it

•	this is how they get paid

The monetization would probably be royalties / rev share tied to usage.

What makes it interesting to me is that it feels like a real problem:

AI is making it easier and easier to copy people, and eventually there probably needs to be some layer around consent, rights, licensing, payments, etc.

But the part I keep getting stuck on is the moat.

My biggest fear is that if this becomes valuable, then talent agencies, studios, labels, creator platforms, or bigger AI companies just build it themselves.

Like:

•	agencies already have the relationships

•	studios already have the production side

•	labels already manage talent/IP

•	big platforms already have distribution

•	larger AI companies can build the tooling way faster

So then what does the startup actually own?

That’s the part I’m trying to pressure test.

A few things I’m wondering:

•	does this sound like a real business or just a good-sounding idea?

•	who’s even the real customer here?

•	are royalties too weak/slow as a business model early on?

•	what would actually make something like this defensible?

•	does this end up being a standalone company, or just a feature inside a bigger company?

Would love honest takes, especially from people in startups, media, creator economy, licensing, or AI.

Not looking for hype, just trying to figure out if there’s actually a company here