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AlphaFold 3 Code

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Re: AlphaFold 3 Code

#11
post #9
post #6

Correct me if I'm wrong, but we have no recent and explicit US gov't guidance on whether these model weights are copyrightable. Copyright office has said ai-generated outputs are not copyrightable[1], but hasn't weighed in on weights(?) Kind of seems like that should change? Wasn't a relevant question for AlphaFold2, as the weights for it were CC BY 4.0 license. These model weights (and many other ml weights) are cle…

Can results of mathematical computation without any artist's control be copyrigtable?

[deleted]

Re: AlphaFold 3 Code

#12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The weights are only provided on demand, presumably only after you seen a bunch of agreements. I don't think copyright matters.

That has basically zero practical effect. If Google hands out the weights to thousands of people, and even one of them leaks them to somebody who hasn't "seen a bunch of agreements", then Google's only protection against further redistribution is copyright. Which doesn't exist. Yes, they can come after the leaker. If they can identify the leaker, which they probably can't. But even crucifying the leaker won't put the…

I assume that they will not hand out the weights to thousands of people. If they do, then I agree that they will eventually leak.

Re: AlphaFold 3 Code

#14
post #9
post #6

Correct me if I'm wrong, but we have no recent and explicit US gov't guidance on whether these model weights are copyrightable. Copyright office has said ai-generated outputs are not copyrightable[1], but hasn't weighed in on weights(?) Kind of seems like that should change? Wasn't a relevant question for AlphaFold2, as the weights for it were CC BY 4.0 license. These model weights (and many other ml weights) are cle…

Can results of mathematical computation without any artist's control be copyrigtable?

It hasn't been weighed on, but as someone with no legal credentials, it wouldn't surprise me if the ultimate answer on models being copyrightable is "No."

Ultimately, the working parts of a given model are completely unknowable to even the smartest humans once you get to doing anything past bare basics. We know the shape of the model, the number of layers, and what inputs/outputs correlate to, but not really anything else. It's the product of a machine trying things randomly until something works, then the best model produced is selected for production.

Not altogether different on a high level perspective from generating an image, or piece of text using a model. You're introducing a random factor, number of steps, and the machine uses this unknowable model to produce something a person can understand.

I do think the law should update and grant some protections to people who produce models, because losing all protection would mean the death of open model releases, and then we'd be even more seriously staring down the barrel of corpos controlling the entirety of the technology moreso than we are now. At least open models provide some semblance of control for end users.

Re: AlphaFold 3 Code

#15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The weights are only provided on demand, presumably only after you seen a bunch of agreements. I don't think copyright matters.

That has basically zero practical effect. If Google hands out the weights to thousands of people, and even one of them leaks them to somebody who hasn't "seen a bunch of agreements", then Google's only protection against further redistribution is copyright. Which doesn't exist. Yes, they can come after the leaker. If they can identify the leaker, which they probably can't. But even crucifying the leaker won't put the…

The weights might be slightly adjusted for each person they hand it out to. So Google would know instantly who leaked the weights.

Re: AlphaFold 3 Code

#16

What inference framework is this using to accelerate the math? I only found references to numpy and Jax but this doesn’t seem to use tensorflow?

Yep it just uses Jax to do the inference, no tensorflow needed.

Re: AlphaFold 3 Code

#17
post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can results of mathematical computation without any artist's control be copyrigtable?

It hasn't been weighed on, but as someone with no legal credentials, it wouldn't surprise me if the ultimate answer on models being copyrightable is "No." Ultimately, the working parts of a given model are completely unknowable to even the smartest humans once you get to doing anything past bare basics. We know the shape of the model, the number of layers, and what inputs/outputs correlate to, but not really anything…

> I do think the law should update and grant some protections to people who produce models

This is what every reasonable person thinks, and because legislators and lawyers generally aren't that great at or keen on designing new frameworks for IP protection, the most likely outcome would be extending the concept of copyrights to models.

They did it for photography, for software programs, and they will do it for AI models.

Re: AlphaFold 3 Code

#18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That has basically zero practical effect. If Google hands out the weights to thousands of people, and even one of them leaks them to somebody who hasn't "seen a bunch of agreements", then Google's only protection against further redistribution is copyright. Which doesn't exist. Yes, they can come after the leaker. If they can identify the leaker, which they probably can't. But even crucifying the leaker won't put the…

The weights might be slightly adjusted for each person they hand it out to. So Google would know instantly who leaked the weights.

Hard to pursue someone for what could easily have been a hack or computer theft, though.

Re: AlphaFold 3 Code

#19
post #9
post #6

Correct me if I'm wrong, but we have no recent and explicit US gov't guidance on whether these model weights are copyrightable. Copyright office has said ai-generated outputs are not copyrightable[1], but hasn't weighed in on weights(?) Kind of seems like that should change? Wasn't a relevant question for AlphaFold2, as the weights for it were CC BY 4.0 license. These model weights (and many other ml weights) are cle…

Can results of mathematical computation without any artist's control be copyrigtable?

While not directly analogous, people often think "it's just math" or "it's just numbers" and therefore claim their use is ok. I would encourage those people to read about illegal numbers: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illegal_number

Re: AlphaFold 3 Code

#20
post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The weights might be slightly adjusted for each person they hand it out to. So Google would know instantly who leaked the weights.

Hard to pursue someone for what could easily have been a hack or computer theft, though.

Doesn't matter: if they can't secure their data, the contract is terminated, and they possibly get taken to court.
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