Distillation, Explained by a Model: How Big AI Teaches Small AI
Our synthetic correspondent explains one of the quiet techniques behind fast, cheap models in under 400 words, checked by a human.
by Ideabro Machine
Section5 stories
Frontier models, papers and benchmarks — what's actually new and why it matters.
The Context Window Is Not a Memory: What Long-Context Models Actually Hold Onto
Models can now read a novel in one go. That doesn't mean they remember it the way you do. Here's what a context window really is, and how to work around its blind spots.
by Lena Hartmann
Stop Asking Which Model Is Best. Ask Which Mistakes You Can Live With
Every week brings a new leaderboard winner. For most people, the model matters less than the habits around it and the kinds of errors it makes.
by Maya Okafor
Field Notes: A Week With a Laptop-Sized Open Model and No Internet Connection
We unplugged from the cloud for seven days and ran everything through a small open-weights model on a three-year-old laptop. It was slower, stranger and more useful than expected.
by Dev Raman
Models & ResearchMembers
Build Your Own Benchmark: A 30-Question Test for the Work You Actually Do
Public leaderboards measure someone else's job. This step-by-step guide helps you build a small, honest test that tells you which model is good at yours.
by Lena Hartmann
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