Thinking Machines releases Inkling 2 Small, scores 31 on AI Index

Thinking Machines released Inkling 2 Small, an open-access AI model that scored 31 on the AI Index, underscoring the widening contest between proprietary systems and open-model development. The launch positions the model as a compact alternative in a market increasingly defined by the trade-off between closed, vendor-controlled AI and freely accessible innovation. The 31-point AI Index result gives the release a concrete benchmark, though the article provides no token prices, TVL, trading volumes, market cap or funding figures tied to the event. It matters because open-access releases can pressure proprietary providers on pricing and adoption while broadening the pool of developers able to build on the model. What to watch next is how Inkling 2 Small's benchmark standing translates into real-world uptake and whether subsequent AI Index evaluations show it closing ground on closed-model rivals.