Ling-flash-2.0 (non-reasoning)

High Intelligence, Nuanced Pricing, Open License

Ling-flash-2.0 (non-reasoning)

Ling-flash-2.0 stands out as a highly intelligent, open-licensed model with a competitive input price, though its output costs and verbosity require careful management.

High IntelligenceOpen LicenseLarge Context (128k)Text-to-TextCost-Effective InputVerbose Output

Ling-flash-2.0, developed by InclusionAI, emerges as a compelling option in the landscape of non-reasoning language models, particularly for applications demanding high-quality text generation and understanding. Its most striking feature is its exceptional performance on the Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index, where it scored 38, placing it at an impressive #2 out of 33 models benchmarked. This score significantly surpasses the average of 22, indicating a superior capability in handling complex language tasks and generating highly relevant and coherent outputs. This intelligence, combined with an open license, positions Ling-flash-2.0 as a strong contender for developers seeking powerful, flexible, and accessible AI solutions.

However, a deeper dive into its operational characteristics reveals a nuanced cost profile. While its input token price of $0.14 per 1M tokens is moderately priced, even below the average of $0.20, its output token price of $0.57 per 1M tokens is somewhat expensive, exceeding the average of $0.54. This disparity is further amplified by Ling-flash-2.0's notable verbosity; during its Intelligence Index evaluation, it generated 30M tokens, significantly more than the average of 8.5M. This means that while the model is intelligent, the sheer volume of its output can lead to higher overall costs, especially in scenarios where output length is not tightly controlled.

Performance-wise, Ling-flash-2.0 operates at a median output speed of 49 tokens per second on SiliconFlow, which is slower than the average of 60 tokens per second. Its latency, measured at 1.81 seconds to first token, is also a factor to consider for real-time or highly interactive applications. Despite these speed considerations, its substantial 128k token context window provides ample room for handling extensive inputs and generating comprehensive responses, making it suitable for tasks requiring deep contextual understanding or long-form content creation. The model's blend of high intelligence, open accessibility, and a large context window makes it a powerful tool, provided its speed and output costs are strategically managed.

In summary, Ling-flash-2.0 is a high-performing model that excels in intelligence and offers an attractive input pricing structure under an open license. Its primary challenges lie in its slower output speed and higher output token costs, exacerbated by its verbose nature. For developers and organizations prioritizing output quality and contextual depth, Ling-flash-2.0 represents a valuable asset, especially when paired with careful prompt engineering and output management strategies to optimize for cost and efficiency.

Scoreboard

Intelligence

38 (#2 / 33)

Scores 38 on the Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index, ranking #2 out of 33 models and well above the average of 22.
Output speed

49 tokens/s

Slower than average (60 tokens/s), ranking #12 out of 33 models.
Input price

$0.14 /M tokens

Moderately priced, below the average of $0.20/M tokens, ranking #13 out of 33.
Output price

$0.57 /M tokens

Somewhat expensive, above the average of $0.54/M tokens, ranking #19 out of 33.
Verbosity signal

30M tokens

Highly verbose, generating 30M tokens during evaluation compared to an average of 8.5M, ranking #14 out of 33.
Provider latency

1.81 seconds

Time to first token on SiliconFlow.

Technical specifications

Spec Details
Owner InclusionAI
License Open
Context Window 128k tokens
Input Type Text
Output Type Text
Intelligence Index Score 38 (Rank #2/33)
Output Speed (median) 49 tokens/s (Rank #12/33)
Latency (TTFT) 1.81 seconds
Input Token Price $0.14 / 1M tokens (Rank #13/33)
Output Token Price $0.57 / 1M tokens (Rank #19/33)
Blended Price (3:1) $0.25 / 1M tokens
Verbosity (Intelligence Index) 30M tokens (Rank #14/33)

What stands out beyond the scoreboard

Where this model wins
  • **Exceptional Intelligence:** Achieves a top-tier score on the Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index, making it highly capable for complex language tasks.
  • **Competitive Input Pricing:** Offers a favorable input token price, making the initial prompt processing cost-effective.
  • **Generous Context Window:** A 128k token context window allows for extensive input and comprehensive, context-aware responses.
  • **Open License:** Provides flexibility and accessibility for integration into a wide range of applications without restrictive licensing fees.
  • **High-Quality Output:** Its intelligence translates into high-quality, coherent, and relevant text generation, even if verbose.
Where costs sneak up
  • **High Output Token Price:** The cost per output token is above average, which can significantly increase total expenses for applications generating substantial text.
  • **Significant Verbosity:** The model's tendency to generate more tokens than average directly contributes to higher output costs.
  • **Slower Output Speed:** At 49 tokens/s, it's slower than many peers, potentially impacting user experience in real-time applications or increasing processing time for batch jobs.
  • **Latency Considerations:** A 1.81-second time to first token might be noticeable in interactive user interfaces, requiring careful design to mask delays.
  • **Blended Price Misdirection:** While the blended price of $0.25/M tokens seems attractive, it can mask the higher output cost if your workload is output-heavy.

Provider pick

Ling-flash-2.0 is currently benchmarked and primarily available through SiliconFlow, which provides a reliable pathway to leverage its capabilities. When choosing a provider, it's crucial to align your operational priorities with the provider's performance characteristics and pricing structure.

Priority Pick Why Tradeoff to accept
**Priority** **Pick** **Why** **Tradeoff**
**Balanced Performance & Cost** SiliconFlow The primary benchmarked provider, offering a blend of the model's intelligence and its specific pricing structure. Output costs can be high due to verbosity; speed is average.
**Cost-Efficiency (Input-Heavy)** SiliconFlow With a competitive input token price, SiliconFlow is a strong choice for applications where input processing dominates. Still subject to higher output costs if generation is extensive.
**High Intelligence & Context** SiliconFlow Leverage Ling-flash-2.0's top-tier intelligence and large context window directly. Must manage verbosity and slower speed for optimal cost/performance.
**Ease of Access (Current)** SiliconFlow As the provider where the model is benchmarked, it offers a direct and established route for deployment. Limited options for provider-specific optimizations or alternative pricing models.

Note: Provider recommendations are based on available benchmark data. Performance and pricing may vary with specific usage patterns and future updates.

Real workloads cost table

Understanding Ling-flash-2.0's cost implications in real-world scenarios requires considering its unique blend of high intelligence, competitive input pricing, and higher output costs coupled with verbosity. Here are a few common use cases and their estimated cost profiles:

Scenario Input Output What it represents Estimated cost
**Scenario** **Input** **Output** **What it represents** **Estimated cost**
**Long-Form Content Generation** 10k tokens (brief outline) 50k tokens (detailed article) Generating a comprehensive blog post or report from a concise prompt. ~$0.30 ($0.0014 input + $0.285 output)
**Advanced Summarization** 100k tokens (document) 20k tokens (summary) Condensing a lengthy document into a detailed executive summary. ~$0.13 ($0.014 input + $0.114 output)
**Intelligent Chatbot (Complex Query)** 2k tokens (user query + history) 5k tokens (detailed response) Handling a multi-turn, complex customer service interaction. ~$0.003 ($0.00028 input + $0.00285 output)
**Data Extraction & Structuring** 50k tokens (unstructured text) 10k tokens (structured JSON) Extracting specific entities and relationships from a large text body. ~$0.06 ($0.007 input + $0.0057 output)
**Code Generation (Medium)** 5k tokens (requirements) 15k tokens (code + comments) Generating a medium-sized code snippet with explanations. ~$0.009 ($0.0007 input + $0.00855 output)

These scenarios highlight that while Ling-flash-2.0's input costs are low, its higher output price and verbosity mean that applications with significant output generation will incur higher overall costs. Strategic prompt engineering to control output length is crucial for cost optimization.

How to control cost (a practical playbook)

To effectively manage costs and maximize the value of Ling-flash-2.0, consider implementing these strategies, focusing on its unique pricing and performance characteristics:

Optimize for Verbosity

Ling-flash-2.0's high verbosity is a double-edged sword: it provides rich, detailed output but also drives up costs. Proactive management of output length is key.

  • **Explicit Length Constraints:** Include clear instructions in your prompts for desired output length (e.g., "Summarize in 3 sentences," "Provide a concise answer," "Limit response to 200 words").
  • **Iterative Refinement:** For complex tasks, consider breaking down requests into smaller steps, generating intermediate outputs, and then refining them, rather than asking for one massive output.
  • **Post-Processing:** Implement a post-processing layer to truncate or filter unnecessary information from the model's output before it's consumed or stored.
Manage Output Token Costs

Given the higher output token price, strategies to reduce the volume of generated tokens are paramount for cost control.

  • **Batch Processing for Non-Realtime:** For tasks where immediate responses aren't critical, batching requests can help amortize overheads, though the token cost per output remains.
  • **Cache Common Responses:** For frequently asked questions or repetitive content, cache model outputs to avoid regenerating and paying for the same content multiple times.
  • **Fine-tune for Conciseness (if applicable):** If you have a large dataset of desired concise outputs, consider fine-tuning a smaller, cheaper model for specific tasks where Ling-flash-2.0's full intelligence might be overkill.
Leverage Intelligence Strategically

Ling-flash-2.0's high intelligence is its strongest asset. Focus its use on tasks where this capability provides significant value.

  • **Complex Reasoning & Generation:** Reserve Ling-flash-2.0 for tasks requiring deep understanding, nuanced responses, creative content generation, or handling intricate contextual information.
  • **Knowledge-Intensive Applications:** Utilize its large context window for applications that benefit from processing extensive documents or conversation histories.
  • **Quality-Critical Outputs:** Deploy it where the cost of a lower-quality output (from a cheaper model) would be higher than the increased token cost.
Address Speed and Latency

While not the fastest, its speed can be managed for optimal user experience and operational efficiency.

  • **Asynchronous Processing:** For long-running tasks, design your application to handle responses asynchronously, providing immediate feedback to the user while the model processes in the background.
  • **Pre-computation/Pre-generation:** For predictable queries or content, pre-generate responses during off-peak hours to serve them instantly when needed.
  • **Progress Indicators:** In interactive applications, use loading spinners or progress bars to manage user expectations during the 1.81-second latency to first token.

FAQ

What is Ling-flash-2.0?

Ling-flash-2.0 is an advanced, open-licensed language model developed by InclusionAI. It is designed for text input and text output, featuring a substantial 128k token context window and excelling in intelligence benchmarks, particularly among non-reasoning models.

How intelligent is Ling-flash-2.0?

Ling-flash-2.0 is exceptionally intelligent, scoring 38 on the Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index. This places it at #2 out of 33 models, significantly above the average score of 22, indicating its strong capabilities in understanding and generating high-quality text.

What are the pricing characteristics of Ling-flash-2.0?

Its input token price is $0.14 per 1M tokens, which is moderately priced and below the average. However, its output token price is $0.57 per 1M tokens, making it somewhat expensive compared to the average. The blended price (3:1 input:output) is $0.25 per 1M tokens.

Is Ling-flash-2.0 fast?

Ling-flash-2.0 has a median output speed of 49 tokens per second on SiliconFlow, which is slower than the average of 60 tokens per second. Its latency (time to first token) is 1.81 seconds. For real-time applications, these speed metrics should be carefully considered.

What is its context window size?

Ling-flash-2.0 boasts a large context window of 128k tokens. This allows it to process and generate responses based on extensive amounts of input text, making it suitable for tasks requiring deep contextual understanding or long-form content generation.

Who owns Ling-flash-2.0 and what is its license?

Ling-flash-2.0 is owned by InclusionAI and is released under an open license. This makes it a highly accessible and flexible option for developers and organizations looking to integrate advanced AI capabilities into their projects.

What kind of tasks is Ling-flash-2.0 best suited for?

Given its high intelligence and large context window, Ling-flash-2.0 is ideal for tasks requiring high-quality, detailed, and contextually rich text generation. This includes long-form content creation, advanced summarization, complex question answering, and applications where deep understanding of extensive inputs is critical, provided output verbosity and cost are managed.


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