⚙️ AI Hardware

149 Foundation Models in 2023: The Jazz Riff Behind AI's Wild Explosion

Researchers unleashed 149 foundation models in 2023, doubling the prior year. But beneath the frenzy, a deeper architectural shift echoes Miles Davis's studio improvisations.

Sarah Chen 📅 Mar 19, 2026 ⏱️ 3 min read 👁️ 6 views
Neural network diagram evolving from transformer base to multimodal foundation model

⚡ Key Takeaways

  • 149 foundation models in 2023 signal explosive growth from cheap data and self-supervision.
  • Homogenization around transformers drives emergence of unexpected capabilities.
  • Multimodal shift to VLMs unlocks real-world apps, but commoditization looms.

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Sarah Chen
Written by

Sarah Chen

AI research editor covering LLMs, benchmarks, and the race between frontier labs. Previously at MIT CSAIL.

#Generative AI #LLMs #foundation models #transformers

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Originally reported by NVIDIA Deep Learning Blog

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