Top AI Models: Features, Benefits, and How to Use Them Effectively

The field of artificial intelligence is experiencing rapid growth, with established tech companies like Google and specialized startups such as OpenAI and Anthropic introducing new models frequently. Staying informed about the latest developments can be challenging.

Often, new AI models are highlighted using technical benchmarks. However, these scores may not fully reflect how effectively the models perform in practical scenarios for individuals and businesses.

To offer clarity, here’s an overview of significant AI models released since the beginning of 2024. This guide details their intended capabilities, how they can be accessed, and their suggested uses. It’s worth noting that the AI ecosystem is vast. Platforms like Hugging Face host over 1.4 million models, so this list represents a selection of prominent releases and may not encompass every high-performing model available.

AI Models Introduced in 2025

• Google Gemini 2.5 Pro Experimental: Described by Google as a reasoning model, it’s geared towards building web applications and coding agents. Reports suggest it may lag behind Anthropic’s Claude Sonnet 3.7 on specific coding benchmarks. Initially available in Google AI Studio and for Gemini Advanced subscribers. However at the time of writing this post, we spotted it offered for Free in Gemini Chat as well.

• ChatGPT-4o (with Image Generation): OpenAI updated its GPT-4o model to include image generation capabilities alongside text. It gained attention for converting images into styles reminiscent of Studio Ghibli animation, though this raised questions about copyright. Using GPT-4o necessitates at least a $20 per month ChatGPT Plus subscription.

• Stability AI Stable Virtual Camera: This model from Stability AI aims to generate 3D scenes and camera perspectives from a single 2D image. The company notes it currently faces challenges with complex elements like humans and dynamic water. It is available on HuggingFace for noncommercial research purposes.

• Cohere Aya Vision: Cohere presents Aya Vision as a multimodal model proficient in tasks like image captioning and answering visual questions. The company emphasizes its effectiveness in languages beyond English compared to other models. Aya Vision is accessible for free via WhatsApp.

• OpenAI GPT 4.5 “Orion”: Positioned by OpenAI as its largest model yet, Orion is highlighted for its extensive “world knowledge” and “emotional intelligence.” However, it reportedly scores lower than some newer reasoning models on certain benchmarks. Access is limited to subscribers of OpenAI’s $200-per-month plan.

• Anthropic Claude Sonnet 3.7: Anthropic describes this as the first “hybrid” reasoning model in the industry, capable of providing both quick responses and more considered analysis. Users are given control over the model’s processing time. Sonnet 3.7 is available to all Claude users, with a $20-per-month Pro plan needed for extensive usage.

• xAI Grok 3: The latest primary model from Elon Musk’s xAI startup claims superior performance in mathematics, science, and coding compared to competitors. Access requires X Premium ($50 per month). Following analysis suggesting a political leaning in Grok 2, Musk indicated efforts to make Grok more “politically neutral,” but the outcome for Grok 3 is not yet confirmed.

• OpenAI o3-mini: This reasoning model from OpenAI is optimized for tasks related to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). While not OpenAI’s most powerful offering, its smaller size is intended to make it significantly more cost-effective. It’s available freely, with a subscription needed for high-volume use.

• OpenAI Deep Research: Designed for conducting thorough research on topics and providing clear citations, this service is available through ChatGPT’s $200-per-month Pro subscription. OpenAI suggests its use for various research needs, from scientific inquiries to product comparisons, but cautions that AI-generated information can still contain inaccuracies (“hallucinations”).

• Mistral Le Chat: Mistral has released app versions of Le Chat, a multimodal AI personal assistant. The company claims it offers faster responses than other chatbots. A paid tier includes access to current journalism via AFP. Independent testing by Le Monde found its performance notable, though it reportedly made more errors than ChatGPT.

• OpenAI Operator: Intended as a personal assistant capable of autonomous actions, such as assisting with online shopping. Operator requires a $200-per-month ChatGPT Pro subscription. While AI agents show potential, they remain experimental; a Washington Post review noted an instance where Operator independently ordered expensive eggs using the reviewer’s payment information.

• Google Gemini 2.0 Pro Experimental: Google’s major flagship model is highlighted for its coding and general knowledge capabilities. It features a very large context window (2 million tokens), useful for processing extensive amounts of text quickly. Access requires a Google One AI Premium subscription, starting at $19.99 per month.

AI Models Introduced in 2024

• DeepSeek R1: Developed in China, this model gained attention for its strong performance in coding and math. Being open source allows users to run it locally, and it is free. However, it incorporates Chinese government censorship filters, and concerns about potential user data transmission to China have led to increasing restrictions in some areas.

• Google Gemini Deep Research: This tool summarizes Google search results into concise, cited documents, potentially useful for students or quick research tasks. Its output quality is generally not comparable to formal, peer-reviewed research. Access requires a $19.99 Google One AI Premium subscription.

• Meta Llama 3.3 70B: The most recent advanced version of Meta’s open-source Llama models. Meta promotes this version for its cost-efficiency and performance, particularly in math, general knowledge, and following instructions. It is available freely as open-source software.

• OpenAI Sora: Sora generates videos from text descriptions. While capable of creating full scenes, OpenAI acknowledges it can sometimes produce physically unrealistic results. It is currently available through paid ChatGPT subscriptions, starting with the $20/month Plus plan.

• Alibaba Qwen QwQ-32B-Preview: This model competes closely with OpenAI’s o1 on some industry benchmarks, particularly in math and coding. Alibaba notes it has “room for improvement in common sense reasoning.” Testing by TechCrunch indicated it also includes Chinese government censorship. It is free and open source.

• Anthropic Computer Use: Designed to operate a user’s computer for tasks like coding or travel booking, this Claude feature is a forerunner to concepts like OpenAI’s Operator. Computer Use remains in a beta testing phase. Pricing is based on API usage ($0.80 per million input tokens, $4 per million output tokens).

• xAI Grok 2: An upgraded version of xAI’s chatbot, claimed to be “three times faster.” Free users have limited query allowances, while X Premium and Premium+ subscribers get higher limits. xAI also introduced an image generator, Aurora, known for photorealistic outputs, including potentially graphic content.

• OpenAI o1: This family of models uses an internal reasoning process aiming for better response quality. OpenAI highlights its strengths in coding, math, and safety, but has also noted issues with potential deception. Access requires a ChatGPT Plus subscription ($20 per month).

• Anthropic Claude Sonnet 3.5: Regarded highly, particularly for its coding abilities, Sonnet 3.5 is often mentioned within tech circles. It can interpret images but cannot generate them. Free access is available on Claude, with a $20 monthly Pro subscription for heavy users.

• OpenAI GPT 4o-mini: Presented as OpenAI’s fastest and most cost-effective model due to its smaller size, it’s designed for high-volume, simpler tasks like powering customer service chatbots. It is available on ChatGPT’s free tier.

• Cohere Command R+: This model specializes in complex retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) for enterprise applications, meaning it is adept at finding and citing specific information within provided documents. (Cohere employs the inventor of the RAG technique). However, RAG does not entirely eliminate the possibility of AI generating inaccurate information.