SLM

Small Language Model

Smaller, more efficient language models -- for on-device or scoped tasks.

When you'd see it: Cost, privacy, and on-device AI discussions. SLMs are the smaller counterpart to large language models.

Why it matters: SLMs trade some capability for far lower cost, faster responses, and the ability to run on a device or privately. For narrow, well-defined tasks they often match a large model at a fraction of the price.

Common mistakes: Assuming bigger is always better. For a specific, scoped task, a tuned SLM can beat a giant general model on cost, speed, and privacy.