AIPTO
Frequently Asked Questions
What is AIPTO?
AIPTO is a zero-knowledge registry for AI prompts and system instructions. Registration produces a cryptographically timestamped record of prior existence, giving creators evidence to support a trade secret claim under the Defend Trade Secrets Act (DTSA). AIPTO is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice.
How does zero-knowledge registration work?
When you submit a prompt, it is processed entirely on AIPTO-controlled infrastructure using self-hosted AI models, never sent to a third-party AI provider. The prompt is hashed with SHA-256, embedded, and summarized, then the plaintext is discarded immediately. Only the hash, the embedding, and a functional summary are ever stored. Your certificate includes an RFC 3161 qualified timestamp.
What is DTSA trade secret enforcement?
The Defend Trade Secrets Act (DTSA) is the federal law under which trade secret claims can be brought in the United States. Winning a trade secret claim generally requires showing the information was secret, had value because it was secret, and that reasonable measures were taken to protect it. AIPTO provides evidence supporting the first and third points, a timestamped record of what you had and when. Enforcement itself is handled by an attorney, not by AIPTO.
How much does registration cost?
Standard registration is $350 per filing. Maintenance and renewal filings are required periodically to keep a registration active; current fees for all filing types are listed on the Terms of Service page.
What happens to my prompt after I submit it?
It is hashed, embedded, and summarized on AIPTO-controlled infrastructure, then the plaintext is discarded immediately. AIPTO never stores your original prompt text and never transmits it to a third party during registration. Only the hash, the embedding, and the summary are retained.
Do I need a lawyer to use AIPTO?
No, registration itself is instant and does not require an attorney. But AIPTO's certificate provides evidentiary support, not a legal conclusion. If you need to actually enforce a trade secret claim against someone who used your work without permission, consult a qualified IP attorney for enforcement strategy.
What's the difference between AIPTO and a patent?
AIPTO is not a patent office and does not issue patents. A patent requires formal examination and grants exclusive rights for a fixed term. AIPTO instead provides cryptographic proof of prior existence to support a trade secret claim, which protects information for as long as it stays secret rather than for a fixed term, and does not require public disclosure the way a patent application does.
Can I search for prior art before registering?
Yes. AIPTO offers an optional, separately priced prior art search that checks a prompt against external sources and AIPTO's own registry before you register. That search uses a third-party AI provider for keyword extraction and AIPTO's own self-hosted infrastructure for relevance judgment. This is a distinct data flow from registration, and is disclosed on the search page itself.
Why do I need an NDA if AIPTO is zero-knowledge?
Zero-knowledge is technical, your prompt is never stored in plaintext. The Confidentiality Agreement is legal, AIPTO is contractually bound to how it handles your submission before it's hashed. Together they provide stronger protection than either alone.
Does AIPTO use Claude or OpenAI to process my prompt?
No. Registration processes your prompt entirely on AIPTO-controlled infrastructure. No third party ever receives your prompt text during registration.
Can I sell my registered prompts on a marketplace like PromptBase?
Yes, but public sale may forfeit trade secret status. Register on AIPTO first to establish a dated record of ownership, then decide whether public monetization fits your IP strategy.
Still have questions? Terms of Service and Privacy Policy cover the legal and technical details in full, or contact support@aipto.io.