A specialist model concentrates training, data, or objectives on an area such as mathematics, coding, medicine, or agent tool use. Specialization can produce stronger examples and feedback for that area than one general objective provides.
Specialists can serve users directly or teach a general student model through distillation. Their narrower strength does not guarantee performance outside the specialty, so systems need routing or evaluation that respects the intended scope.
ELI5
A specialist model is an AI trained or adapted to be especially good at one area. It is like an expert who focuses on mathematics or coding instead of trying to cover every subject equally.
For example, separate mathematics, coding, and agent specialists can produce strong demonstrations for their own tasks. A student model can learn from all of them to combine more of those abilities.
