SUCHIR SALHAN
Cognitive AI Researcher & Founder of Per Capita Media
SUCHIR SALHAN
Cognitive AI Researcher & Founder of Per Capita Media
Suchir Salhan studies interpretable AI and small language models while leading Per Capita Media, translating research into actionable insights for policy and society.

Research
My research explores how abstract linguistic structure emerges in compact neural systems under realistic developmental and multilingual constraints. I focus on interpretability, learning dynamics, and practical applications of small language models.
Core Claims
- Small models can acquire structure under severe data constraints
- Multilingual exposure shifts inductive biases, not just capacity
- Evaluation should capture learning dynamics, not only end-state performance
*This work draws on BabyLM benchmarks and related developmental datasets.*
Per Capita Media
Per Capita Media is a national independent student newspaper and magazine. PCM is led by students at the University of Cambridge with contributors from across the UK, including Oxford, London, Birmingham, and Bristol. I am the Editor, Per Capita Media (University of Cambridge) and President of Cambirdge University PCM.
What We Do
- Original reporting, features, and cultural commentary on politics, society, technology, arts, and more
- Platform for emerging writers and thinkers beyond traditional university media
- Outreach and mentorship initiatives for secondary and sixth-form students
Our Mission
Explore issues that matter to young people and broader audiences through thoughtful, research-informed journalism and commentary, building a community of independent student voices. Learn more about our team and vision on LinkedIn.
*Founded August 2023. Contributions from students across the UK.*
Research Projects
- Pretraining bilingual and multilingual small language models
- Using IRT to evaluate in-context and developmental learning
Research Focus
Affiliation
University of Cambridge
Research Areas
Multilingual NLP · Language Acquisition · Cognitive Modeling
Methods
Pretraining · Evaluation · IRT · Developmental Benchmarks
Tools
PyTorch · Hugging Face · BabyLM · Weights & Biases
Selected Writing
- What Do Language Models Learn Like Children? — long-form essay