As I'm sure you're aware deep learning work better is the most hot and highly funded thing right now... there is nothing wrong with making sure you get the cred

As I'm sure you're aware deep learning work better is the most hot and highly funded thing right now... there is nothing wrong with making sure you get the credit for a new technique, and it in no way precludes widespread free sharing of the idea. I am an academic researcher (not in this field) and everything I do is 100% free and public, but I still either patent or publish it, because getting the credit is what allows me to keep doing what I love. I actually hate that part, and would rather just do the work, but I already push that line too far sometimes, and risk losing my funding aka "publish or perish."