AI Model Comparison
Understanding different AI models helps you choose the right tool for your specific needs and tasks
Each AI model has unique strengths and is optimized for different types of tasks. Use this guide to make informed decisions about which model to use for your specific needs.
Information current as of January 2026
Quick Selection Guide
Writing & Analysis
Superior reasoning and ethical considerations
Programming Help
Best code analysis and complex problem solving
Current Research
Real-time data with source citations
Creative Projects
Excellent for creative and multimodal tasks
Detailed Model Comparison
Claude Sonnet 4.5
Anthropic
Key Strengths
Limitations
- •Knowledge cutoff (January 2025)
- •No real-time data
- •Cannot browse internet
Best Used For
Writing, research analysis, complex problem solving, ethical AI use, general-purpose tasks
UM Access
Available through Amplify GenAI platform and ChatGPT EDU
Claude Opus 4.5
Anthropic
Key Strengths
Limitations
- •Higher cost per request
- •Rate limits
- •Knowledge cutoff (January 2025)
Best Used For
Complex research projects, advanced coding, detailed analysis, high-stakes decision making
UM Access
Available through Amplify GenAI platform
Claude Haiku 4.5
Anthropic
Key Strengths
Limitations
- •Less capable than Sonnet/Opus
- •Knowledge cutoff (January 2025)
- •Shorter responses
Best Used For
Quick tasks, simple queries, high-volume requests, rapid prototyping
UM Access
Available through Amplify GenAI platform
GPT-5.2
OpenAI
Key Strengths
Limitations
- •Can hallucinate
- •Requires fact-checking
- •Data privacy considerations
Best Used For
Content creation, brainstorming, general Q&A, image analysis, creative writing
UM Access
Available through ChatGPT EDU license and Amplify GenAI platform
Gemini 3.0
Key Strengths
Limitations
- •Data privacy considerations
- •Google ecosystem dependency
- •Requires careful data handling
Best Used For
Research with current data, Google Workspace integration, multimodal tasks, complex analysis
UM Access
Available through Google Workspace for Education
Perplexity Sonar
Perplexity
Key Strengths
Limitations
- •Limited creative tasks
- •Dependency on web sources
- •Source quality varies
Best Used For
Quick Q&A with current data (base Sonar), deeper research projects (Sonar Pro), fact-checking, sourced information gathering
UM Access
Approved for research with proper citation of sources
DeepSeek
DeepSeek (China)
Key Strengths
Limitations
- •Data stored in China
- •State procurement violations
- •Security risks
- •Compliance concerns
Best Used For
Not approved for use at UM - see restrictions below
UM Access
Explicitly prohibited by Montana state policy
Model Comparison Resources
These external benchmarks and leaderboards provide independent, data-driven comparisons of AI models to help you make informed decisions.
ScaleAI SEAL Leaderboard
Expert review and private dataset evaluation of top LLMs focused on robustness and reliability rather than just raw benchmark scores.
Best for: Trustworthiness in production →Vellum LLM Leaderboard
Tracks frontier models released since 2024 with scores for reasoning, context length, pricing, and accuracy on benchmarks like GPQA Diamond and AIME.
Best for: Comprehensive comparisons →LiveBench
Monthly, contamination-controlled benchmark emphasizing reasoning, coding, and math performance on current tasks.
Best for: Current intelligence signal →These are independent third-party resources and are not affiliated with or endorsed by the University of Montana.
Pro Tips for Model Selection
Match Task to Strength
Choose models based on what they do best, not just popularity or availability.
Try Multiple Models
Different models may give different perspectives on the same problem.
Always Verify
Fact-check important information regardless of which model you use.
Need Help Choosing?
Our team can help you select the right AI model for your specific use case.