Editor's Synopsis
Microsoft's Azure AI team outlines a multiple model approach to building AI applications, where different AI models are combined to improve accuracy, reduce costs, and handle complex scenarios more effectively. The strategy involves routing tasks to specialized models, pairing online and offline models, or combining small task-specific models like Phi-3 with larger models like GPT-4o. The post details three key implementation scenarios: routing (directing queries to the best-suited model), hybrid online/offline deployment (combining local processing with cloud-based capabilities), and tiered model architectures (using smaller models as filters before escalating to larger ones).
Real-world examples illustrate the approach in action. Sage, an accounting technology company, fine-tuned Mistral with accounting-specific data to complement GPT-4, enabling more accurate routing of user queries to appropriate systems. A large auto manufacturer paired a Phi-3 offline model for basic local processing with GPT-4o for complex queries, optimizing both cost and performance. Capacity leveraged Phi-3-Medium for its AI knowledge-management Answer Engine, improving information accessibility for enterprise customers. The post emphasizes the importance of evaluating factors like model size, accuracy requirements, governance, security, and cost before implementing a multiple model strategy, and points to the Azure AI Foundry model catalog with over 1,800 models as a starting point.
