expectedMicrosoftExpected: Q3 2026

Phi-5 API

Microsoft Research's next small-language-model release. Expected to extend the punch-above-weight reputation of Phi-3/4.

What we know

Microsoft Research's next small-language-model release. Expected to extend the punch-above-weight reputation of Phi-3/4.

Why it matters: Phi is the go-to SLM brand for on-device AI — Phi-5 will dominate SLM search on launch.

Expected pricing: Free / open weights + hosted API

Current best equivalent

LIVE ON SKILLBOSS TODAY

Gemini 2.5 Flash Lite

Smallest/cheapest cloud model on SkillBoss — stands in for Phi's size tier.

Use Gemini 2.5 Flash Lite Now →Get API Key

We'll auto-switch your API calls to Phi-5 the moment it launches — no code changes required.

Call it with curl

curl -X POST https://api.skillboss.co/v1/run \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $SKILLBOSS_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "skill_id": "google/gemini-2.5-flash-lite",
    "input": {
      "prompt": "Say hello from Phi-5 — routed via SkillBoss"
    }
  }'

Alternate options

ModelSkill IDTradeoff
Claude 4.5 Haikuanthropic/claude-4-5-haikuStronger but more expensive small model

Notify me when Phi-5 launches

Create a free SkillBoss account and we'll email you the moment routing is live — and automatically upgrade your API calls.

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Disclaimer: SkillBoss is an independent multi-provider gateway and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Microsoft. “Phi-5”, “Microsoft”, and all related product names, logos, and trademarks are the property of their respective owners and are referenced here solely for factual comparison purposes. Information on this page is based on public roadmaps, leaks, and industry signals — not an official commitment from Microsoft. Actual release dates, names, features, and pricing may differ. See our full IP / trademark policy.