One of the main current political and economic disputes concerns the forms of circulation of immaterial goods through communication networks. In this article, we bring what we consider to be the bottom line in this struggle, namely the shift in the contemporary notion of authorship. First, we will reflect on the historicity of this concept showing its variation through different times and cultural contexts. Secondly, we will analyze the dynamics of cognitive capitalism and its implications in this scenario. Finally, we will turn to the concept of commons as a possible definer of what is at stake in this conflict.