A $500 RL fine-tune of a 9B open model beat frontier models on catalog review

Re:A $500 RL fine-tune of a 9B open model beat frontier mode... by heresalexandria on Tuesday July 28, 2026 @12:29AM (#49079361)

I'm not suggesting that fine-tuned models don't have their place, all I'm saying is that the constant drumbeat of "cheap model X beats more expensive model Z" completely misses that the more expensive model is capable of doing more things at a higher level.

If the appropriate qualifiers were added to say "cheap model X does better at test Y than expensive model Z when we fine tune X to take Y test of existing knowledge" then it would be a more accurate statement, but naturally less impressive.

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Re:A $500 RL fine-tune of a 9B open model beat frontier mode... by ozim on Tuesday July 28, 2026 @01:07AM (#49079598)

Maybe because people who are target audience don’t need to have it spelled out like that?

People who are not really into it, don’t care.

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Re:A $500 RL fine-tune of a 9B open model beat frontier mode... by echelon on Tuesday July 28, 2026 @01:01AM (#49079569)

> I'm not suggesting that fine-tuned models don't have their place, all I'm saying is that the constant drumbeat of "cheap model X beats more expensive model Z" completely misses that the more expensive model is capable of doing more things at a higher level.

What if you have to do the task a billion times? Which model will you choose?

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