Who Owns The Machine's Mind? Protecting Deep Learning Models

Abstract

Artificial intelligence is redefining innovation, but the legal frameworks meant to protect innovation haven't kept up. Deep learning models the backbone of modern AI embody immense economic and intellectual value, yet they don't fit neatly into traditional intellectual property (IP) categories like patents, copyrights, or trade secrets. As technology evolves, so do threats like model theft and replication through model extraction attacks? In this context, technological self-defense tools such as watermarking and fingerprinting have emerged to fill the legal vacuum. This blog explores how these mechanisms can bridge the gap between law and technology, their potential use as evidence in court, and the urgent need for a hybrid framework that combines legal reform with technical innovation.