Who owns a model’s output?
Downloading a model, using an API and publishing generated text are different activities. Finding a single label such as MIT or open source does not tell you which conditions apply to each one.
Separate the objects first
The code running a model has a license. Weight files may have another. The service hosting them applies its own contractual terms. Inputs and outputs may also involve rights held by the customer or by third parties. A public repository does not automatically settle all of these relationships.
Start with the action you intend to take: distribute modified weights, offer an endpoint, publish an answer or use examples to train another model. Writing that action down before reading the documents prevents a common mistake: looking in a software license for an answer that belongs in the terms of a hosted service.
Read the API terms
The DeepSeek Open Platform Terms consulted here were released on April 22, 2026, with an effective date of April 29, 2026. Section 4 provides, subject to applicable law and the terms, for retaining any existing rights in inputs and assigning any rights in outputs to the customer. It also mentions product development and training other models.
“Any rights” is consequential wording. A contract can assign rights that a party holds, but does not itself create exclusive protection for every generated string. The terms also make the customer responsible for inputs and outputs. Read those provisions together rather than treating assignment as a promise that no third-party rights could be involved.
Check the weights separately
Before distributing a model, inspect the exact repository, model card, license file and declared dependencies. Save the version or commit. Do not extend a license seen on R1 to V4, or a code license to checkpoints, without a statement establishing that scope.
The LICENSE file in the DeepSeek-R1 repository is a concrete example of MIT text. Interpret its scope alongside the documentation for that release. A distilled or modified variant may also require reading the source model’s conditions. A family name does not replace a traceable chain of provenance for the specific artifact you plan to ship.
Review what you publish
If a model writes a page for your site, examine the final content. Does it contain names, quotations, material presented as your own or code copied from a recognizable source? Did the prompt supply material subject to separate conditions? These questions depend on the content, not just the provider.
For code, retain relevant attribution and compare substantial fragments against sources known to the project. For editorial work, verify facts, quotations and uploaded material. Contractual assignment of outputs is not an automatic check for originality, accuracy or exclusivity. Keep the evidence for those checks with the work rather than assuming the generation process performed them.
A new host means new terms
A different operator can offer a compatible API format while applying different conditions. Before migrating, check data processing, retention, training use, restrictions, responsibility and deletion procedures. Compatibility of the HTTP request and identity of the contract are separate properties.
Record the actual provider, the location of the applicable terms and the version consulted for the product. Preserve any additional documents those terms incorporate. A generic homepage link cannot reconstruct what was checked at release time. This matters especially when the technical integration is so simple that the contractual change is easy to overlook.
Keep a usable rights record
A small register can contain the artifact, origin, version, intended action, applicable document and obligations to preserve. For a library, record copyright notices. For weights, record provenance and release conditions. For an API, record service terms. For outputs, record source materials and editorial checks.
This article describes a documentation method; it does not determine ownership of a particular output. The practical question remains specific: which rights does this distribution require, and which document establishes them? A verifiable answer to that question is more useful than applying a reassuring label to the entire pipeline and hoping it covers every step.
Sources & verification
Sources checked on November 3, 2026. Prices and availability can change.
- DeepSeek — Open Platform Terms of Service
- DeepSeek-R1 — LICENSE
- DeepSeek — API reference and linked terms
Analysis and calculations by Deepweight. Provider information is attributed; measurements require a method, a sample and logs. Read our editorial method.