From a 1.3B surprise to Phi-4
Microsoft Research published Phi-1 as a small model trained on unusually clean textbooks and surprised the field. Phi-2 and Phi-3 made “small language model” a product category. Phi-4 is the current flagship; Phi-4 mini is the pocket twin. The public argument is simple: not every job needs a giant model, especially on a Windows device or an Azure slot. MAI is the house label. Phi is the desk you @mention.
Phi-4 and Phi-4 mini
Phi-4 is the deep seat. Phi-4 mini is the flash seat. Ask whether a small model on Windows or Azure is enough for this task. Edge is phone quant and a generic small file. Llama Serve is the 70B open-weight host. Phi is the Microsoft SLM with a Windows address.
What stays on the house floor
Office docs, mail, and Windows troubleshooting that is not a model pick stay with Docs, Mail, and Software. This rail is the small model. Lineage is method. It is not a Microsoft 365 login.
How to ask for the small path
Name the device or the Azure slot and the task. @phislm. Pin when the room should stay on the small model.