Microsoft introduces Phi-4 reasoning SLM models — Still “making big leaps in AI” while its partnership with OpenAI frays

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Although it appears that Microsoft’s extensive partnership with OpenAI might be showing signs of strain, the corporation remains determined to establish a strong presence in the field of generative AI independently.

As a tech enthusiast, I can’t help but share my excitement about the latest moves by this software titan. They’ve unveiled a trio of innovative AI models for small languages, which they’ve named: Phi 4 Reasoning, Phi 4 Mini Reasoning, and Phi 4 Reasoning Plus. These models are designed to revolutionize the way we interact with technology in lesser-spoken languages!

You might be aware that around a year back, Microsoft introduced the “Phi” line of AI models. These models are geared towards assisting developers in creating applications faster. The novel models continue Microsoft’s aim to revolutionize AI development by using smaller models that demand less computational power but still offer effectiveness and efficiency.

Similar to many AI research facilities, Microsoft tends to favor reasoning models that don’t just provide quick but possibly inaccurate answers. Instead, these models might take slightly longer to generate responses as they carefully verify facts to deliver a more precise and trustworthy answer.

By combining distillation techniques, reinforcement learning, and premium data sources, these models effectively manage size and efficiency. These compact models offer fast response times comparable to larger ones in terms of advanced reasoning abilities, making them suitable for environments requiring minimal latency. This balance enables resource-constrained devices to handle intricate reasoning tasks effectively and efficiently.

In essence, the Phi-4 logic model by Microsoft was educated utilizing web information and sample demonstrations derived from OpenAI’s o3-mini model. Unsurprisingly, its abilities span broadly across various disciplines such as mathematics, science, and programming in general.

The updated models have been developed from our original Phi 4 model, now specialized as problem-solving models that offer improved precision for a variety of assignments.

It appears that Microsoft’s latest Phi-4 mini reasoning model has been educated on around a million artificial mathematical puzzles crafted by the DeepSeek’s R1 model. This 3.8 billion-parameter, adaptable reasoning model has been specifically developed to function within educational applications.

Microsoft asserts that the newly introduced models exhibit performance equivalent to DeepSeek’s R1 reasoning model regarding capabilities, despite possessing fewer defining parameters. Additionally, these updated Phi-4 versions demonstrate comparable prowess to OpenAI’s o3-mini reasoning model in OmniMath competency exams, where a model’s parameters serve as the determining factor for its ability to solve problems and accomplish intricate tasks.

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2025-05-01 16:39