"We have a problem."
"What's that?"
"Digital things are functionally infinite and there's no scarcity to be found."
"How is that a problem?"
"We need to restrict it."
"Oooookay....? Still not sure how lack of scarcity is a pr—"
"I've invented a number that says I alone own this digital thing."
"What? By what authority?"
"Because I wasted a crapton of energy to make this number."
"....."
"I'm a genius"
".... So you're wasting resources to invent a number for the sole purpose of restricting access to otherwise-functionally-unlimited things?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"It's the future."