Choosing the Right AI Model for the Job

One of the first things we train people on in AI Quest Foundations is how different AI models perform on various tasks.

When I talk with people who are just starting to use AI every day, the conversation usually goes like this:

Them: explains a really good use case, but it isn't working as well as they'd like.
Me: “Which model are you using?”
Them: “Just plain ChatGPT.”
Me: “Right, but which model—4o or o3?”
Them: *stares blankly*

There was a stretch where every new model was simply better than the previous one. ChatGPT 4 beat 3.5 at everything. But as models have gotten much better, each new release isn't automatically better at every task.

Take ChatGPT models: o3 excels at research and complex work but is slower and more verbose. The 4o model is faster and follows directions well but can feel less capable on very hard problems.

Why model choice matters

Understanding these differences matters because:

1. As you get better at using generative AI, you'll start to bump into the upper bound of what each model can do for you. Knowing which model to use for which tasks raises the ceiling on what these tools can handle.
2. As more specialized models emerge, the benefit of grabbing the right one for the job will only increase. Some labs are trying to build “router” models that pick for you, but so far those have been underwhelming.
3. There are still real concerns with hallucinations (models making things up), and choosing the right model with the right tools can dramatically cut those down.

How we teach model personas in AI Quest Foundations

In our trainings, we give these models simple personas—characters in the style of “friend,” our AI Quest mascot—so people can remember when to reach for each one.

📊 4o – The Generalist

• Fast, responsive, and handles text and images quickly.
• Great for daily tasks, brainstorming, and quick-turnaround requests.
• Has access to all tools and can interact with nearly all file types.
• Unlimited use in many enterprise plans, which makes it perfect as a default.

🔬 o3 – The Researcher

• Best for complex, multi-step tasks that require deep reasoning.
• Shines at coding, math, analysis, and thorny research questions.
• Has access to most tools and can work with nearly all file types.
• Subject to weekly rate limits, so you want to reserve it for your hardest problems.

🎨 4.5 – The Creative

• Creative, natural-language-focused, and especially good at voice and tone.
• Great for client communications, marketing copy, and multilingual work.
• Has access to most tools, but with lower weekly limits than 4o or o3.

⚡ o3-pro – The Powerhouse

• Built for extremely complex reasoning when other models stall out or get confused.
• Very slow, but can deliver stronger results on high-stakes, high-difficulty work.
• Has access to Search and other advanced tools, with very limited availability and usage caps.

The landscape keeps shifting

Today, we expect GPT-5's launch, which will change things again. We also cover Anthropic and Google's models in our sessions, both of which are powerful in their own ways.

This space evolves constantly, and the “best” model is always changing. What doesn't change is the value of understanding how these models differ so you can choose intentionally instead of treating them all as the same.

We’re ready to keep your team up to speed with AI Quest sessions—from entry-level onboarding through department-specific advanced work—so model selection becomes a habit, not a guess.

Happy model selecting!