From DeepSeek to Distillation: Protecting IP In the AI World

Protection against unauthorized model distillation is an emerging issue within the longstanding theme of safeguarding IP. Existing countermeasures have primarily focused on technical solutions. This article will examine the legal protections available under the current legal framework and explore why patents may serve as a crucial safeguard against unauthorized distillation.

13 minute read March 01, 2025 at 12:13 AM
By
Robert Hulse , Stuart Meyer , Tyler Newby and Fredrick Tsang
From DeepSeek to Distillation: Protecting IP In the AI World

A flurry of developments in late January 2025 has caused quite a buzz in the AI world. On January 20, DeepSeek released a new open-source AI model called R1 and an accompanying research paper.

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