[bootlooped]

If that's the case, then the NFT is no longer the thing proving authenticity, the artist is. Then what is the NFT for?

[suikadayo]

It’s both. The artist registers an .ETH name and/or puts their wallet address on their profile, and the NFT proves that the artist originally created the smart contract, and/or minted the NFT, and is now owned by the user, shown on the chain.