Open-Weight Model
Also written as Open Source AI Model, Llama, Mistral, DeepSeek, Qwen
A model whose trained parameters ('weights') are publicly downloadable and can be run or fine-tuned by anyone (e.g. Llama, Mistral, DeepSeek), distinct from closed models only accessible via an API.
Think of it like
Like a recipe that's fully published for anyone to cook, adapt, or sell themselves, instead of a restaurant's closely-guarded secret recipe you can only taste by ordering the dish.
Junior or senior?
Junior sounds like
Defaults to a closed API without considering alternatives.
Senior sounds like
Can explain why an open-weight model was the right call — cost, data privacy, or customization — for a specific use case.
Ask them
“What made you choose an open-weight model over a hosted API like OpenAI's or Anthropic's?”