Llama 3.1 70B (instruction-tuned)

Meta's Latest 70B Instruction-Tuned Powerhouse

Llama 3.1 70B (instruction-tuned)

Llama 3.1 70B Instruct offers above-average intelligence and a vast context window, positioning it as a strong contender for complex, long-form generative tasks, though at a premium price and slower speed.

Large Language ModelInstruction-tunedOpen-weightHigh ContextMetaGenerative AI

Llama 3.1 70B Instruct represents Meta's latest advancement in its open-weight large language model series, specifically fine-tuned for instruction following. This model stands out with its substantial 70 billion parameters, designed to handle a wide array of complex generative and analytical tasks. It builds upon the strong foundation of the Llama 3 family, offering enhanced capabilities for developers and enterprises seeking powerful, customizable AI solutions.

Our analysis places Llama 3.1 70B Instruct firmly above average in intelligence, scoring 23 on the Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index. This performance indicates its proficiency in understanding nuanced prompts and generating high-quality, relevant responses. Furthermore, its impressive 128k token context window allows for processing and generating exceptionally long texts, making it suitable for applications requiring extensive contextual understanding or detailed output generation, such as long-form content creation, code generation, or comprehensive document analysis.

However, this advanced capability comes with certain trade-offs. While intelligent and capable of handling large contexts, Llama 3.1 70B Instruct is noted for its relatively slow output speed, averaging 41 tokens per second. This characteristic might impact real-time applications where rapid response generation is critical. Additionally, its pricing, at $0.56 per million input and output tokens, positions it as somewhat expensive compared to the average for similar models, suggesting that cost optimization strategies will be crucial for large-scale deployments.

Despite these considerations, the model's open-weight nature provides unparalleled flexibility for fine-tuning and deployment, allowing organizations to tailor its behavior to specific domain needs without vendor lock-in. Its knowledge cutoff of November 2023 ensures it is equipped with relatively up-to-date information, making it a robust choice for a variety of contemporary AI challenges.

Scoreboard

Intelligence

23 (16 / 33 / 70B)

Above average intelligence, scoring 23 on the Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index. It generated 7.5M tokens during evaluation, indicating a fairly concise output style.
Output speed

41.0 tokens/s

Notably slow compared to the average of 60 tokens/s. Some providers offer significantly faster speeds.
Input price

$0.56 USD per 1M tokens

Somewhat expensive, with an average input price of $0.20/M for comparable models.
Output price

$0.56 USD per 1M tokens

Somewhat expensive, aligning closely with the average output price of $0.54/M for similar models.
Verbosity signal

7.5M tokens

Fairly concise, generating 7.5 million tokens during Intelligence Index evaluation, compared to an average of 8.5 million.
Provider latency

0.27s TTFT

Excellent time to first token, with Google Vertex achieving 0.27s. Other providers also offer competitive low latencies.

Technical specifications

Spec Details
Owner Meta
License Open
Context Window 128k tokens
Knowledge Cutoff November 2023
Intelligence Index Score 23
Intelligence Index Rank 16 / 33
Intelligence Index Verbosity 7.5M tokens
Output Speed (Avg.) 41 tokens/s
Input Token Price (Avg.) $0.56 / 1M tokens
Output Token Price (Avg.) $0.56 / 1M tokens

What stands out beyond the scoreboard

Where this model wins
  • Above-Average Intelligence: Scores 23 on the Intelligence Index, demonstrating strong instruction following and reasoning capabilities.
  • Massive Context Window: A 128k token context window enables processing and generating extremely long and complex texts.
  • Open-Weight Flexibility: As an open-weight model, it offers unparalleled freedom for fine-tuning, customization, and deployment without vendor lock-in.
  • Competitive Latency: Achieves excellent Time To First Token (TTFT) with top providers, making it suitable for interactive applications.
  • Concise Output: Generates responses efficiently, contributing to lower overall token usage for complex tasks.
Where costs sneak up
  • Higher Base Pricing: At $0.56/M for both input and output, its base price is above the average for comparable models, requiring careful cost management.
  • Slower Output Speed: An average output speed of 41 tokens/s can lead to longer processing times and potentially higher operational costs for high-throughput applications.
  • Provider Variability: While some providers offer competitive pricing, others are significantly more expensive, necessitating careful selection.
  • Resource Intensive: Being a 70B parameter model, local deployment or self-hosting can incur substantial infrastructure costs.
  • Potential for Over-generation: Despite being generally concise, the model's power might lead to more verbose responses than strictly necessary if prompts aren't carefully engineered.

Provider pick

Choosing the right API provider for Llama 3.1 70B Instruct can significantly impact performance and cost. Our benchmarks highlight distinct advantages across various providers, allowing you to optimize for your specific priorities.

Priority Pick Why Tradeoff to accept
Cost-Optimized Deepinfra / Hyperbolic / Deepinfra (Turbo, FP8) All offer a highly competitive blended price of $0.40/M tokens. May not always be the fastest for output speed or lowest latency.
Speed-Optimized Together.ai Turbo / Amazon Latency Optimized Achieve the highest output speeds at 131 t/s and 128 t/s respectively. Higher blended prices ($0.88/M and $0.72/M respectively).
Latency-Optimized Google Vertex / Amazon Latency Optimized Deliver the lowest Time To First Token (TTFT) at 0.27s and 0.32s. Google Vertex has a significantly slower output speed (45 t/s); Amazon Latency Optimized is more expensive.
Balanced Performance Together.ai Turbo Offers excellent output speed (131 t/s) and good latency (0.38s). Blended price of $0.88/M tokens is on the higher side.
Enterprise-Ready Amazon Bedrock Standard / Google Vertex Backed by major cloud providers, offering robust infrastructure and support. Generally higher costs and potentially slower performance compared to specialized API providers.

Note: Provider performance and pricing can fluctuate. Always verify current rates and capabilities directly with the provider for the most up-to-date information.

Real workloads cost table

Understanding the real-world cost of Llama 3.1 70B Instruct involves considering typical usage patterns. Here are a few scenarios based on its average pricing of $0.56 per million input tokens and $0.56 per million output tokens.

Scenario Input Output What it represents Estimated cost
Scenario Input Output What it represents Estimated Cost
Short Q&A (1000 queries) 1,000 tokens/query 200 tokens/response Customer service chatbot, quick fact retrieval. $00.67
Content Generation (100 articles) 5,000 tokens/prompt 1,500 tokens/article Generating blog posts, marketing copy, or summaries. $03.64
Code Generation (500 requests) 2,000 tokens/request 500 tokens/code snippet Developer assistant, generating functions or scripts. $00.70
Long-form Document Analysis (10 documents) 50,000 tokens/document 5,000 tokens/summary Summarizing legal documents, research papers, or reports. $03.08
Creative Storytelling (20 stories) 10,000 tokens/prompt 3,000 tokens/story Generating creative narratives, scripts, or detailed scenarios. $01.46

These scenarios illustrate that while individual interactions are inexpensive, costs can quickly accumulate with high-volume or long-form content generation tasks. Optimizing prompt length and output verbosity is key to managing expenses with Llama 3.1 70B Instruct.

How to control cost (a practical playbook)

To maximize the value of Llama 3.1 70B Instruct and control costs, consider these strategic approaches:

Optimize Prompt Engineering

Crafting concise and effective prompts can significantly reduce input token count without sacrificing output quality. Avoid unnecessary context or verbose instructions.

  • Be Specific: Clearly define the task and desired output format.
  • Use Examples: Few-shot prompting can guide the model efficiently.
  • Iterate and Refine: Test different prompt variations to find the most token-efficient approach.
Manage Output Verbosity

While Llama 3.1 70B is generally concise, explicitly instructing the model on desired output length can prevent over-generation, especially for tasks where brevity is preferred.

  • Set Length Constraints: Include phrases like "respond in 3 sentences" or "generate a 100-word summary."
  • Post-processing: Implement automated trimming or summarization on the output if strict length limits are critical.
Strategic Provider Selection

The wide range in provider pricing means that selecting the most cost-effective option for your specific workload is paramount. Deepinfra and Hyperbolic currently offer the lowest blended rates.

  • Benchmark Regularly: Provider costs and performance can change; re-evaluate periodically.
  • Consider Workload Type: For high-volume, less latency-sensitive tasks, prioritize providers with lower blended prices.
Leverage Caching for Repetitive Queries

For frequently asked questions or common requests, implement a caching layer to store and retrieve previous model responses, reducing the need for repeated API calls.

  • Identify Common Queries: Analyze your application's usage patterns to find opportunities for caching.
  • Implement a Cache: Use a simple key-value store to save and serve responses.
Fine-tuning for Efficiency

For highly specialized or repetitive tasks, fine-tuning a smaller, more cost-effective model on Llama 3.1 70B's outputs or a custom dataset can be more economical in the long run.

  • Data Collection: Gather high-quality, task-specific data.
  • Model Selection: Consider fine-tuning a smaller Llama variant or another open-source model.

FAQ

What is Llama 3.1 70B Instruct?

Llama 3.1 70B Instruct is Meta's latest large language model, featuring 70 billion parameters and specifically fine-tuned for instruction following. It's designed for complex generative AI tasks and offers a substantial 128k token context window.

How does Llama 3.1 70B Instruct compare in intelligence?

It scores 23 on the Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index, placing it above average among comparable models. This indicates strong performance in understanding and responding to complex prompts.

What is the context window size of Llama 3.1 70B Instruct?

The model boasts a 128k token context window, allowing it to process and generate very long texts, making it suitable for applications requiring extensive contextual understanding.

Is Llama 3.1 70B Instruct an open-source model?

Yes, Llama 3.1 70B is an open-weight model, meaning its weights are publicly available. This provides significant flexibility for developers to fine-tune and deploy it in custom environments.

What are the main trade-offs when using Llama 3.1 70B Instruct?

While highly intelligent and capable of large contexts, its primary trade-offs are a relatively slower average output speed (41 tokens/s) and a somewhat higher base price compared to the average for similar models.

Which providers offer the best performance for Llama 3.1 70B Instruct?

For speed, Together.ai Turbo and Amazon Latency Optimized are top. For lowest latency, Google Vertex and Amazon Latency Optimized excel. For cost-effectiveness, Deepinfra and Hyperbolic offer the most competitive pricing.

How can I reduce the cost of using Llama 3.1 70B Instruct?

Key strategies include optimizing prompt engineering to reduce input tokens, managing output verbosity, strategically choosing the most cost-effective API provider for your specific needs, and considering caching for repetitive queries.


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