# Small models beat large ones when failure modes are explicitly constrained

- slug: small-models-beat-large-ones-when-failure-modes-are-explicitly-constrained
- date: 2026-03-20
- category: Artificial Intelligence

IBM's bet: small models can do big model work, if you build them right

The standard enterprise AI pitch goes something like this: pick the most capable model, write the best prompt, hope for the best.

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