Would you like to receive notifications on latest updates of the following headlines?

Microsoft Introduces Phi-3 Mini, a New Lightweight AI Model

POSTED ON April 23, 2024 •   Uncategorized      BY Samuel O . Adeniyi
Microsoft Illustration | Photo Credit: The Verge

Microsoft has launched the latest iteration of its lightweight AI model, Phi-3 Mini, marking the first of three small models slated for release by the company. 

Phi-3 Mini boasts 3.8 billion parameters and is trained on a relatively smaller dataset compared to larger language models like GPT-4. 

Eric Boyd, Corporate Vice President of Microsoft Azure AI Platform who disclosed this in a press release on Tuesday, described Phi-3 Mini as equally capable as larger language models (LLMs) like GPT-3.5 but in a more compact form. 

He added that Phil-3 is now accessible on Azure, Hugging Face, and Ollama platforms, with Microsoft planning subsequent releases of Phi-3 Small (7B parameters) and Phi-3 Medium (14B parameters). Parameters represent the complexity of instructions a model can comprehend. 

Following the December release of Phi-2, which performed comparably to larger models like Llama 2, Microsoft claims that Phi-3 demonstrates improved performance over its predecessor, delivering responses akin to models ten times its size. 

Compared to their larger counterparts, smaller AI models are often more cost-effective to operate and excel on personal devices such as phones and laptops. 

Earlier this year, The Information reported Microsoft's establishment of a dedicated team focused on developing lightweight AI models. Alongside Phi, the company has also developed Orca-Math, a model tailored for solving mathematical problems. 

Rival tech giants also offer their own small AI models, targeting simpler tasks like document summarization or coding assistance. For instance, Google's Gemma 2B and 7B excel in chatbots and language tasks, while Anthropic's Claude 3 Haiku specializes in summarizing dense research papers. Meta's recent release, Llama 3 8B, is designed for chatbots and coding assistance. 

Boyd explained that developers trained Phi-3 using a "curriculum," drawing inspiration from how children learn from simplified stories and books. They utilized a list of over 3,000 words to create "children's books" that could educate Phi. 

Furthermore, Boyd noted that Phi-3 builds upon the knowledge acquired by its predecessors. 

While Phi-1 focused on coding and Phi-2 began learning reasoning, Phi-3 excelled in both areas. 

However, despite possessing some general knowledge, the Phi-3 family cannot match the breadth of a GPT-4 or another large language model. 

Boyd said that many companies find that smaller models like Phi-3 are better suited for their custom applications, especially given that their internal datasets are typically smaller. Additionally, these models require less computing power, making them more affordable options for many businesses.

0
READ ALSO
Rivers Varsity Suspends Four Students For Assault
BY Benedicta Bassey June 16, 2024 0

The Rivers State University, Nkpolu-Oroworukwo, Port Harcourt has suspended four of its students con...

READ ALSO
French Embassy Unveils Waste Management Project Worth €753,000 in Varsities
BY Benedicta Bassey June 14, 2024 0

The French Embassy, via the Cooperation and Cultural Department, has launched a plastic waste manage...

READ ALSO
ATBU Enhances Research Capacity For Lecturers
BY Benedicta Bassey June 14, 2024 0

The management of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, has enhanced research capabilities...

READ ALSO
Russia Dismisses Claim of Recruiting Nigerian Students For Ukranian War
BY Benedicta Bassey June 13, 2024 0

The Russian Embassy in Nigeria has debunked the claims of recruiting African students, particularly...

READ ALSO
Soludo Warns Tinubu Against Accepting Unsustainable Minimum Wage
BY Benedicta Bassey June 13, 2024 0

Anambra State Governor Charles Soludo on Thursday warned President Bola Tinubu against approving &ld...

READ ALSO
Obi Cubana Lauds Burna Boy For Settling Patients' Hospital Bills
BY Ebiakuboere England June 12, 2024 0

Award-winning Nigerian music star Damini Ogulu, also known as Burna Boy, has been praised by million...

READ ALSO
U.S Don Laments Poor State of Education in Nigeria
BY Benedicta Bassey June 12, 2024 0

A Doctorate in Computer Science from the University of the District of Columbia, in Washington, Unit...

READ ALSO
UK Varsity Grants Expelled Nigerian Students Funding To Return Home
BY Benedicta Bassey June 12, 2024 0

Teesside University in the United Kingdom has on Wednesday announced a financial support to  Ni...

OUR CHANNELS:

EU assures continue support for Nigeria’s democracy
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara January 30, 2025 0

ABUJA – The European Union (EU) has reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to strengthening...


Tinubu Returns to Nigeria From Tanzania
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara January 30, 2025 0

President Bola Tinubu has returned to Abuja following his attendance at the Africa Heads of State En...


Obi emphasises focus on Nigerians' welfare, seek coalition for 2027 elections
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara January 30, 2025 0

Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi has expressed his willingness to a coalition ahead of...


FAAN ease traffic congestion, suspends access gate fees at Abuja Airport
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara January 28, 2025 0

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria has announced the suspension of all access gate fees at th...


Obasa challenges removal as Speaker, Denies corruption allegations
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara January 27, 2025 0

The impeached Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, has faulted his removal...


Court orders woman to pay N150, 000 for boyfriend emotional distress
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara January 27, 2025 0

A Magistrate Court in Ilesa, Osun State, has ordered Rhoda Adu to pay N150,000 in damages for not vi...


U.S. halts all foreign aid, exempt Israel, Egypt amid 'America First' Policy Shift
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara January 30, 2025 0

USA (AFP) - The United States, the largest donor globally, halted nearly all foreign aid on Friday,...


NELFUND reaffirms commitment to affordable education
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara January 28, 2025 0

The Managing Director of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), Akintunde Sawyerr, has reiterat...


Edo report eight Lassa Fever deaths, 56 cases
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara January 26, 2025 0

Edo State has reported 56 cases of Lassa Fever and eight fatalities from December 30, 2024, to Janua...


Olamide teases fans with new project announcement, After Idan Buruku
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara January 25, 2025 0

After thrilling fans with "Idan Buruku," an electrifying freestyle that takes listeners back in time...


More Articles

Load more...

Menu