---
title: "Granite 4.2 family | Ethical Stack"
url: https://ethicalstack.ai/models/granite-4-2/
catalog_version: f6baff2119d0e9158520da7fbe4232011dac79f25bd08757436d7a1dbd593db2
---

# Granite 4.2 family

Reasoning, tool use, multilingual generation, and coding; the 4.2 8B card documents 128K context and local Transformers/vLLM serving.

Canonical profile: https://ethicalstack.ai/models/granite-4-2/

Scope: IBM Granite 4.2 language models, including 3B, 8B, and 30B released checkpoints; later Granite families are not included.

Published overall: 3.6; 5/6 dimensions rated.

Round the equal-weight mean of available numerical ratings to one decimal; require at least four of six for an overall score. BDS status stays outside the mean; for eligible profiles, a boycott target caps the final score at 2/10 and a pressure target subtracts one point (minimum 1). Not listed and not checked do not adjust the score.

Pressure target: −1 overall point.

## Energy practices

Finding: 2/10

Assessment: https://ethicalstack.ai/models/granite-4-2/#energy

This is a practices and disclosure score for the named release, not a request-level energy or emissions estimate.

Reason: 1 + 1 reporting + 0 electricity + 0 controls = 2/10. This grades documented practices and transparency.

Argument: IBM identifies a GB200 NVL72 cluster hosted by CoreWeave for Granite 4.2 training, but reports no measured electricity, emissions, or water for this checkpoint. The rubric rewards documented reporting and controls; it does not infer high consumption from missing measurements.

Type: argument; confidence: low

Scope (dimension): IBM Granite 4.2 language models, including 3B, 8B, and 30B released checkpoints; later Granite families are not included.

Research reviewed: not recorded; evidence date: not recorded

Unknowns: No comparable per-request electricity, emissions, water, regional serving mix, or independently reviewed model footprint is established in the cited sources.

```json
{
  "method": "practices-transparency-v1",
  "scope": "IBM Granite 4.2 language models, including 3B, 8B, and 30B released checkpoints; later Granite families are not included.",
  "components": {
    "disclosure": {
      "score": 1,
      "reason": "IBM identifies a GB200 NVL72 cluster hosted by CoreWeave for Granite 4.2 training, but reports no measured electricity, emissions, or water for this checkpoint.",
      "sourceUrls": [
        "https://huggingface.co/ibm-granite/granite-4.2-8b",
        "https://github.com/ibm-granite/granite-4.2-language-models",
        "https://huggingface.co/blog/ibm-granite/granite-4-2"
      ]
    },
    "electricity": {
      "score": 0,
      "reason": "No model-specific clean-electricity sourcing or hourly power evidence is published in the reviewed sources; zero means unestablished, not dirty electricity.",
      "sourceUrls": [
        "https://huggingface.co/ibm-granite/granite-4.2-8b",
        "https://github.com/ibm-granite/granite-4.2-language-models",
        "https://huggingface.co/blog/ibm-granite/granite-4-2"
      ]
    },
    "demand": {
      "score": 0,
      "reason": "No model-specific documented control or measured physical resource reduction is established by the reviewed release materials. Public weights or smaller variants alone do not prove reduced resource use.",
      "sourceUrls": [
        "https://huggingface.co/ibm-granite/granite-4.2-8b",
        "https://github.com/ibm-granite/granite-4.2-language-models",
        "https://huggingface.co/blog/ibm-granite/granite-4-2"
      ]
    }
  },
  "actualImpactMeasured": false
}
```

- [Official model card or model release repository](https://huggingface.co/ibm-granite/granite-4.2-8b) (primary; checked 2026-10-24)

- [Official source repository](https://github.com/ibm-granite/granite-4.2-language-models) (primary; checked 2026-10-24)

- [Official model card or model release repository](https://huggingface.co/blog/ibm-granite/granite-4-2) (primary; checked 2026-10-24)

## Training data

Finding: 5/10

Assessment: https://ethicalstack.ai/models/granite-4-2/#training-rights

The release provides some training-process information, but not a complete permission ledger for inherited and later training data.

Reason: 1 base + 2 source transparency + 2 documented permission + 0 creator controls = 5/10. Weight licensing is not treated as corpus permission.

Argument: IBM lists stages, a training-data repository, permissively licensed public datasets, synthetic examples, agent traces, and human-authored material. Its 4.1 inherited base and curated subsets still lack a complete rights ledger. A public weight license governs use of those weights; it is not proof that every training source was permitted.

Type: evidence; confidence: medium

Scope (dimension): IBM Granite 4.2 language models, including 3B, 8B, and 30B released checkpoints; later Granite families are not included.

Research reviewed: not recorded; evidence date: not recorded

Unknowns: Complete source lists, source-specific rights, inherited-base provenance, synthetic-data generation permissions, and creator removal or retraining remedies remain unestablished.

```json
{
  "method": "training-rights-evidence-v1",
  "scope": "IBM Granite 4.2 language models, including 3B, 8B, and 30B released checkpoints; later Granite families are not included.",
  "components": {
    "provenance": {
      "score": 2,
      "reason": "IBM lists stages, a training-data repository, permissively licensed public datasets, synthetic examples, agent traces, and human-authored material. Its 4.1 inherited base and curated subsets still lack a complete rights ledger.",
      "sourceUrls": [
        "https://huggingface.co/ibm-granite/granite-4.2-8b",
        "https://github.com/ibm-granite/granite-4.2-language-models",
        "https://huggingface.co/blog/ibm-granite/granite-4-2"
      ]
    },
    "permissions": {
      "score": 2,
      "reason": "Some named or permissively licensed material is described, but the sources do not establish permission for the full inherited and later-stage corpus.",
      "sourceUrls": [
        "https://huggingface.co/ibm-granite/granite-4.2-8b",
        "https://github.com/ibm-granite/granite-4.2-language-models",
        "https://huggingface.co/blog/ibm-granite/granite-4-2"
      ]
    },
    "creatorControls": {
      "score": 0,
      "reason": "The reviewed model documentation does not establish a corpus-wide creator permission, opt-out, removal, or retraining remedy for this model family.",
      "sourceUrls": [
        "https://huggingface.co/ibm-granite/granite-4.2-8b",
        "https://github.com/ibm-granite/granite-4.2-language-models",
        "https://huggingface.co/blog/ibm-granite/granite-4-2"
      ]
    }
  },
  "routeDependency": null,
  "modelReference": null
}
```

- [Official model card or model release repository](https://huggingface.co/ibm-granite/granite-4.2-8b) (primary; checked 2026-10-24)

- [Official source repository](https://github.com/ibm-granite/granite-4.2-language-models) (primary; checked 2026-10-24)

- [Official model card or model release repository](https://huggingface.co/blog/ibm-granite/granite-4-2) (primary; checked 2026-10-24)

## Your data & privacy

Finding: Not enough evidence

Assessment: https://ethicalstack.ai/models/granite-4-2/#privacy

Privacy depends on where these released weights are run; the model family has no single prompt-retention or training route.

Reason: Depends on the selected inference host; do not transfer the model license to a hosting provider’s privacy practices.

Argument: The official release makes weights available for separate deployments, but it does not define one inference host or retention policy for every user. Local and hosted operators may handle prompts differently, so a single numerical privacy grade would misstate this model-level entry.

Type: argument; confidence: high

Scope (profile): IBM Granite 4.2 language models, including 3B, 8B, and 30B released checkpoints; later Granite families are not included.

Research reviewed: not recorded; evidence date: not recorded

Unknowns: The user-selected host, region, telemetry, logging, extensions, and provider training terms are outside the checkpoint release and require a route-specific review.

- [Official model card or model release repository](https://huggingface.co/ibm-granite/granite-4.2-8b) (primary; checked 2026-10-24)

- [Official source repository](https://github.com/ibm-granite/granite-4.2-language-models) (primary; checked 2026-10-24)

- [Official model card or model release repository](https://huggingface.co/blog/ibm-granite/granite-4-2) (primary; checked 2026-10-24)

## Openness

Finding: 7/10

Assessment: https://ethicalstack.ai/models/granite-4-2/#openness

Apache 2.0 weights and a public dataset/training repository support inspection and reuse. Pretraining is described at a high level and not every corpus item has a rights record, limiting reproducibility.

Reason: Apache 2.0 Model weights and documentation are available, but limitations described above reduce source-level reproducibility.

Argument: Apache 2.0 weights and a public dataset/training repository support inspection and reuse. Pretraining is described at a high level and not every corpus item has a rights record, limiting reproducibility. This openness rating concerns artifacts and reproducibility only; it does not assess whether the original training corpus was authorized.

Type: argument; confidence: medium

Scope (profile): IBM Granite 4.2 language models, including 3B, 8B, and 30B released checkpoints; later Granite families are not included.

Research reviewed: not recorded; evidence date: not recorded

Unknowns: The checked release and license apply to the named checkpoints; sibling variants, future versions, and the underlying corpus may have different terms or disclosures.

- [Official model card or model release repository](https://huggingface.co/ibm-granite/granite-4.2-8b) (primary; checked 2026-10-24)

- [Official source repository](https://github.com/ibm-granite/granite-4.2-language-models) (primary; checked 2026-10-24)

- [Official model card or model release repository](https://huggingface.co/blog/ibm-granite/granite-4-2) (primary; checked 2026-10-24)

## Worker protections

Finding: 6/10

Assessment: https://ethicalstack.ai/models/granite-4-2/#labour

IBM publishes global employee standards, workforce indicators, employee reporting channels, and supplier conduct expectations; none is specific to Granite training labor.

Reason: 1 base + 2 conditions + 2 voice and remedy + 1 assurance = 6/10. IBM documents group-level systems; evidence for Granite labor and independent outcomes is limited.

Argument: IBM reports pay-equity and workforce-safety indicators and sets standards for wages, hours, freedom of association, and suppliers. It also describes employee and supplier reporting channels with non-retaliation. These group-level protections do not establish conditions for Granite data, evaluation, or infrastructure workers.

Type: argument; confidence: medium

Scope (dimension): IBM as Granite developer; group-level employment/supplier systems are not proof of conditions for this release’s AI workforce.

Research reviewed: not recorded; evidence date: not recorded

Unknowns: The sources do not confirm which Granite contributors or suppliers are covered, or publish AI-workforce-specific pay, locations, grievance outcomes, or independent labor-audit results.

```json
{
  "method": "worker-safeguards-evidence-v1",
  "entity": "models/granite-4-2",
  "company": "",
  "scope": "IBM as Granite developer; group-level employment/supplier systems are not proof of conditions for this release’s AI workforce.",
  "components": {
    "conditions": {
      "score": 2,
      "reason": "IBM publishes global employee standards on wages, hours, freedom of association, safety and supplier expectations, plus aggregate workforce metrics; it does not show model-specific coverage.",
      "sourceUrls": [
        "https://www.ibm.com/responsibility/data-and-policies",
        "https://www.ibm.com/investor/governance/risk-compliance-integrity"
      ]
    },
    "voice": {
      "score": 2,
      "reason": "IBM describes Open Door/Speak-Up and external channels, review of reports, and non-retaliation; no Granite-specific grievance data is disclosed.",
      "sourceUrls": [
        "https://www.ibm.com/responsibility/data-and-policies",
        "https://www.ibm.com/investor/governance/risk-compliance-integrity"
      ]
    },
    "assurance": {
      "score": 1,
      "reason": "IBM describes compliance reviews and supplier standards, but these sources do not provide independent worker-level assurance or remediation outcomes for Granite labor.",
      "sourceUrls": [
        "https://www.ibm.com/responsibility/data-and-policies",
        "https://www.ibm.com/investor/governance/risk-compliance-integrity"
      ]
    }
  },
  "disclosureLimited": false
}
```

- [IBM Data and Policies](https://www.ibm.com/responsibility/data-and-policies) (primary; checked not recorded)

- [IBM Risk, Compliance and Integrity](https://www.ibm.com/investor/governance/risk-compliance-integrity) (primary; checked not recorded)

## Military ties

Finding: 3/10

Assessment: https://ethicalstack.ai/models/granite-4-2/#military-contracts

IBM publicly markets defense AI and was selected for the Missile Defense Agency SHIELD contract; neither source establishes Granite deployment.

Reason: 1 + 0 use restrictions + 0 enforcement & oversight + 2 relationship disclosure = 3/10. Known defense ties lower this rating; safeguards can improve it within the relationship’s cap.

Argument: IBM says it will support the MDA SHIELD program and promotes AI for defense and intelligence work. Granite weights use Apache 2.0 terms without a military-use prohibition in the reviewed card; no source links this checkpoint to that contract or describes its military end-use oversight.

Type: argument; confidence: medium

Scope (dimension): IBM parent relationship; no Granite deployment or checkpoint-specific military contract is established.

Research reviewed: not recorded; evidence date: not recorded

Unknowns: No Granite-specific defense contract, deployment, military-use restriction, or downstream enforcement record was established.

```json
{
  "method": "military-ties-priority-v2",
  "entity": "models/granite-4-2",
  "company": "",
  "scope": "IBM parent relationship; no Granite deployment or checkpoint-specific military contract is established.",
  "components": {
    "restrictions": {
      "score": 0,
      "reason": "The Granite card lists Apache 2.0 and no model-specific military-use restriction; the license is not a downstream deployment control.",
      "sourceUrls": [
        "https://huggingface.co/ibm-granite/granite-4.2-8b"
      ]
    },
    "oversight": {
      "score": 0,
      "reason": "IBM describes governance for defense customers, but the sources do not establish monitoring or enforcement over use of downloadable Granite weights.",
      "sourceUrls": [
        "https://newsroom.ibm.com/2026-02-05-ibm-to-support-missile-defense-agency-shield-contract",
        "https://www.ibm.com/industries/government/defense-intelligence"
      ]
    },
    "transparency": {
      "score": 2,
      "reason": "IBM publicly identifies its SHIELD selection and markets AI-enabled defense and intelligence solutions.",
      "sourceUrls": [
        "https://newsroom.ibm.com/2026-02-05-ibm-to-support-missile-defense-agency-shield-contract",
        "https://www.ibm.com/industries/government/defense-intelligence"
      ]
    }
  },
  "disclosureLimited": true,
  "relationship": "broad-defense",
  "relationshipReason": "IBM publicly supports the MDA SHIELD program and sells AI-enabled defense/intelligence services. This is a company relationship; no Granite checkpoint deployment is established.",
  "score": 3,
  "baseScore": 1,
  "safeguardPoints": 2,
  "safeguardAdjustment": 2,
  "rawScore": 3,
  "cap": 3
}
```

- [IBM to Support Missile Defense Agency SHIELD Contract](https://newsroom.ibm.com/2026-02-05-ibm-to-support-missile-defense-agency-shield-contract) (primary; checked not recorded)

- [IBM Defense and Intelligence Solutions](https://www.ibm.com/industries/government/defense-intelligence) (primary; checked not recorded)

- [Official model card or model release repository](https://huggingface.co/ibm-granite/granite-4.2-8b) (primary; checked 2026-10-24)

## BDS targets

Finding: Pressure target

Assessment: https://ethicalstack.ai/models/granite-4-2/#israel-palestine

IBM is named in the BNC No Tech campaign’s discussion of technology companies; this is a scoped pressure-campaign match, not a universal BDS status.

Reason: Campaign category, excluded from numerical scoring.

Argument: The official BNC No Tech campaign page names IBM alongside other technology companies in its discussion of systems serving the Israeli military. This supports a pressure-campaign match at the IBM parent-company level; it does not establish a use or contract involving every Granite checkpoint.

Type: argument; confidence: medium

Scope (profile): IBM Granite 4.2 language models, including 3B, 8B, and 30B released checkpoints; later Granite families are not included.

Research reviewed: not recorded; evidence date: not recorded

Unknowns: This match is limited to the named companies in the BNC No Tech campaign. It does not cover every BDS campaign, local group, investment, supplier, or product deployment; lists and ownership can change.

- [BNC official campaign target list](https://bdsmovement.net/Guide-to-BDS-Boycott) (primary; checked 2026-10-24)

- [BNC official campaign target list](https://bdsmovement.net/no-tech-oppression-apartheid-or-genocide) (primary; checked 2026-10-24)

## Reading the evidence

- Assessments are provisional editorial judgments. Cite the profile and the underlying sources, and retain confidence, scope and unknowns.

- Unknown, not-applicable and model-dependent are different states. Missing evidence does not establish good or bad conduct.

- Company-level evidence does not establish use of a particular product or model. Account plan, model, host and route can change an assessment.

- Energy scores describe documented practices and transparency, not measured request emissions. Zero component points can mean an evidence gap.

- Published overall scores require at least four of six numerical dimensions. Preserve coverage and BDS adjustments; BDS itself is categorical.

- No named BDS target found is limited to the reviewed campaign sources and is not approval. Personalized priorities do not change the published overall score.

- Review and source-check dates describe the research, not this deployment. Fetch current primary sources when the decision requires current verification.

Methodology: https://ethicalstack.ai/methodology/