Brand Protection and AI: Advancement or Rebrand?
Brand protection providers are now heavily marketing AI-driven technologies as revolutionary tools in the fight against counterfeiting, impersonation, and intellectual property infringement. However, it is important to assess whether the proclaimed advancements genuinely elevate the capabilities of brand protection or if they are simply old methods under a new guise.
My understanding is that these marketed AI-driven tools harness massive datasets to uncover patterns and potential threats, that on first glance seem represent an advancement in the fight against bad actors. But if we dissect the actual functionality and innovation behind these claims it does feel like big data analytics (that already exists – albeit not well) and raises questions about the real progress being made in the field. Are we witnessing true technological evolution, or is this a case of repackaging familiar techniques under a new and popular buzz word, AI.
Brand Protection Technology & Limitations
In practice, many leading brand protection tools currently available struggle with advanced data aggregation and effectively interrogating diverse data sources, both of which are critical for thorough analysis. Although marketed under various guises—most recently as AI—these tools often simply repackage the promise of advanced pattern recognition and anomaly detection.
Unfortunately, the limitations of existing technologies frequently result in a significant number of false positives or overlooked threats. This not only leads to wasted resources but can also erode trust in the effectiveness of these tools.
Despite the claimed advancements in brand protection technology, several challenges remain unaddressed that allow cybercriminals to stay a step ahead. Tactics like using IP blocks, implementing geo-fencing, setting up no-crawl directives on websites, and WHOIS privacy shield their activities from detection. Moreover, the use of services like Cloudflare for IP masking further complicates the ability to trace the origins of illicit activities. These methods create significant hurdles in identifying and tracking bad actors, often making it seem like the mouse—the cybercriminal—has the advantage in this ongoing game of cat and mouse.
This dynamic underscores the need for continued innovation in brand protection strategies to effectively counter these sophisticated techniques.
Real Innovation & Investment is required
For the brand protection industry, there is a significant need for investment in genuine innovation—developing advanced solutions that not only enhance processing power and user experience but also pioneer new methods for proactive brand protection.
The industry must ensure that technological advancements contribute more than just incremental improvements. For brand protection to be truly effective, it requires innovations that can keep pace with the sophisticated tactics of counterfeiters and infringers. By focusing on real technological advancements, brand protection agencies can better equip brands with the tools they need to safeguard their assets in an increasingly complex digital world. This commitment to honesty and innovation will be crucial for evolving brand protection into a more effective and reliable field.
While marketing “AI driven Brand Protection” may lure customers in, it won’t keep them unless real investment is made in advancing existing technologies.
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About brandsec
brandsec is a team of highly experienced domain name management and online brand protection experts. We provide corporate domain name management and brand enforcement services, helping brands eliminate phishing platforms across the internet. Supporting some of the largest brands in the region, we offer innovative solutions to combat threats across multiple industries.
