> Model weights are facts.
Only in the way a math textbooks are facts. Model weights are bits on a medium,designed and derived from the combined efforts, judgement and expertise of many humans, before and after training.
Software bits have been copyrighted for so long, there are 5¼" floppies with "(c) 1977" printed on them.
Aren't model weights the output of human (?) authored software? The training software might have received creative input, but not the weights themselves. And if the training data itself counts, then the copyright would not be the labs, who stole the training data, but all the creatives who's works were used.