
Story Protocol has rebranded as the DATA Foundation, shifting from open intellectual property licensing to building infrastructure for licensed AI training data. The project launched Trace, an on-chain registry to verify and license AI data, and integrated Kled and Poseidon to create a network for sourcing and paying contributors for high-quality, legally sourced AI training data. This pivot addresses the growing demand for traceable, real-world data that AI labs cannot easily scrape from the internet. Following the announcement, the DATA token surged 16.7%, outperforming a crypto market pressured by inflation concerns. The move positions the DATA Foundation as a key player in the AI data space, with a focus on proving data origin and licensing to support AI development.