laya-vision-smolvlm-256m vs modernbert-ja-310m-jev

What actually separates them

1. They produce their confidence differently

   modernbert-ja-310m-jev is an encoder and laya-vision-smolvlm-256m is a decoder. An encoder scores every option in one forward pass, so the probability it returns is defined over the whole option set by construction. A decoder reaches an answer by generating, so a usable probability needs constrained decoding plus a normalisation step over the options. Two decoders can report incomparable confidences while both being honest. That difference is invisible in an accuracy number and decisive if you intend to route on confidence.

2. Neither has been measured by anyone independent

   Both are days old and every figure in circulation about either was published by the people who trained it. The table above is what can be checked from repository metadata. Everything else about these two is currently unknown.