GLM-5.2 Is The New Best Open Model

TL;DR

• 1

  GLM-5.2 looks like the new open-model leader: The host argues it is a clear step up from GLM 5.1 and likely the strongest open model available, landing around 4 to 7 months behind the frontier on core text tasks.

• 2

  Benchmarks put it surprisingly close to top closed models: Artificial Analysis v4.1 scores GLM-5.2 at 51, tied with GPT-5.4 and behind only models like Fable 60, Claude Opus 4.8 at 56, and GPT-5.5 at 55, while Frontier SWE places it third behind Fable and Opus 4.8.

• 3

  Its best case is hard coding with open weights, not general all-purpose use: Multiple users report strong debugging, long-context software engineering, and agentic persistence, but the host says it is too expensive for bulk easy tasks and not strong enough for the toughest jobs if closed models are allowed.

• 4

  The weak spots are obvious and practical: GLM-5.2 lacks native vision, performs poorly on anti-sycophancy tests, can be overly verbose and token-hungry, and may cost more in real usage time than Opus 4.8 or GPT-5.5 medium despite cheaper token pricing.

• 5

  A lot of the performance may come from distillation from Claude: The host says GLM-5.2 often identifies as Claude and has the same voice, which suggests heavy distillation and raises the usual concern that it may overperform on benchmark-like tasks while generalizing worse off distribution.

• 6

  The bigger takeaway is about China closing the gap: More than the product itself, the release updates the host toward believing Chinese labs could reach a "mythos level" model within a year, reversing some of his growing skepticism about open-model progress.