PrismML Launches Compact AI Model Bonsai 2 27B
· Technology · TechCrunch
AI startup PrismML has released Bonsai 2 27B, a reasoning model compressed to 5.9 GB, allowing it to run on PCs and potentially high-end smartphones. The model is a compressed version of Alibaba's open-source Qwen3.8 27B, achieving a 9x to 10x reduction in memory usage. PrismML, a Caltech-founded startup led by professor Babak Hassibi, claims the model retains 98% of the original's benchmark performance. While the company has not yet confirmed reports of talks with Apple, it has secured $22.25 million in seed funding from investors including Khosla Ventures and Cerberus Capital. The company's previous models have seen over 13 million total downloads since March.
Why it matters
The development of high-performing, compact AI models could enable advanced reasoning capabilities on consumer devices without requiring cloud-based processing, potentially reducing latency and improving data privacy for users.
Read the original report — TechCrunch
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