At Creode, a marketing agency specialising in financial services and FinTech, we integrate AI to analyse data, automate workflows, and enhance operational efficiency. When selecting our AI stack, we prioritize not only model suitability but also data privacy, security, and regulatory compliance—critical factors in our industry.
To ensure accuracy and mitigate risks, we use multiple AI models for different tasks:
Research & fact-checking → Perplexity AI (real-time citations) + Claude 3.5 (safety-focused)
Content generation → GPT-4o (creativity) + Gemini 1.5 (Google Workspace integration)
Data analysis & automation → GPT-4o (advanced reasoning and processing)
Coding & debugging → Claude 3.7 (thinking) + GPT-4o (debugging)
We're constantly evaluating new models and emerging applications to stay at the forefront of AI innovation. This proactive approach allows us to identify the most effective tools for our clients' specific needs while maintaining our rigorous standards for security and compliance. As the AI landscape evolves, we adapt our stack to incorporate cutting-edge capabilities that drive measurable results for financial services organisations.
Recent advances in AI have made models more versatile than ever, but the sheer number of options can be overwhelming. Whether you need a chatbot, research assistant, business tool, or coding companion, selecting the right AI can significantly impact your productivity.
This guide breaks down the top AI models—including ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, Gemini, AWS, Microsoft AI, Meta LLaMA, and DeepSeek—helping you choose the best fit for your needs.
Best for: General AI tasks, writing, coding, and multimodal inputs.
Latest Model: GPT-4o (multimodal, faster, and more capable than GPT-4).
Strengths:
✔ Excellent for creative writing, brainstorming, and conversations.
✔ Strong coding assistance (Python, JavaScript, etc.).
✔ Processes text, images, and audio.
Weaknesses:
✘ Free version (GPT-3.5) has weaker reasoning.
✘ No built-in real-time web search (unlike Perplexity).
✘ May occasionally produce plausible but inaccurate responses (a common LLM limitation).
Where to Use It: ChatGPT (Web/App), API via OpenAI or Azure, Microsoft Copilot.
Best for: Real-time search, fact-checking, and research.
Strengths:
✔ Pulls live web data with source citations.
✔ Ideal for research-heavy tasks.
Weaknesses:
✘ Less creative than ChatGPT for storytelling.
✘ Slower for long-form content generation.
Where to Use It: Perplexity AI (Web/App).
Best for: Safe, compliant AI in legal, business, and long-document analysis.
Latest Model: Claude 3 (200K+ token context, strong reasoning).
Strengths:
✔ Designed for alignment and safety (Constitutional AI).
✔ Handles long documents better than GPT-4.
Weaknesses:
✘ Slower response time than GPT-4o and Gemini.
✘ Fewer third-party integrations than Microsoft AI.
Where to Use It: Claude Web/App, API for enterprises.
Best for: Multimodal AI (text, images, code) and Google Workspace users.
Latest Model: Gemini 1.5 (1M token context in Pro).
Strengths:
✔ Deep integration with Google Docs, Gmail, and Sheets.
✔ Strong image and video understanding.
Weaknesses:
✘ Inconsistent factual accuracy at times.
✘ Less enterprise adoption than GPT-4.
Where to Use It: Gemini Web/App, Google Workspace.
Best for: Enterprise AI, cloud-based custom solutions.
Strengths:
✔ Highly customisable for business needs.
✔ Strong security and privacy controls.
Weaknesses:
✘ Requires AWS cloud infrastructure.
✘ Not beginner-friendly.
Where to Use It: AWS Bedrock.
Best for: Business automation in Office 365 (Word, Excel, Outlook).
Strengths:
✔ Seamless Microsoft 365 integration.
✔ Enterprise-grade security.
Weaknesses:
✘ Limited outside Microsoft’s ecosystem.
✘ Less flexible for non-business users.
Where to Use It: Microsoft Copilot, Azure OpenAI.
Best for: Developers, researchers, and self-hosted AI.
Strengths:
✔ Open-source and customisable.
✔ Can run locally (no cloud dependency).
Weaknesses:
✘ Requires technical expertise to deploy.
✘ Not optimised for casual users.
Where to Use It: Hugging Face, Meta AI.
DeepSeek is a rising AI competitor from China, specialising in coding and multilingual support (especially Mandarin).
DeepSeek Chat – General-purpose AI assistant.
DeepSeek Code – Optimized for software development.
DeepSeek Vision – Multimodal (text + images).
Strengths:
✔ Strong coding capabilities (similar to GPT-4).
✔ Optimized for Chinese language tasks.
✔ Competitive multimodal features.
Weaknesses:
✘ Limited global adoption compared to OpenAI/Google.
✘ Data handling policies differ from Western models due to regional regulations.
Where to Access It: DeepSeek Official Site (API & Chinese platforms).
Should You Use It?
If you need a coding-focused AI or work primarily in Chinese, DeepSeek is worth exploring. However, businesses outside China may prefer more established models like GPT-4o or Claude 3.
Model | Best For | Strengths | Weaknesses |
---|---|---|---|
GPT-4o | General AI, coding, multimodal | Fast, widely available, strong writing | No live search, weaker free tier (GPT-3.5) |
Perplexity | Research, fact-checking | Cites sources, real-time data | Less creative, slower for long text |
Claude 3 | Business, legal, compliance | Safe AI, long-context handling | Slower, fewer integrations |
Gemini 1.5 | Multimodal, Google users | Image/text processing, Google Workspace | Accuracy varies, less enterprise adoption |
DeepSeek | Coding, Chinese applications | Strong multilingual & coding support | Limited global reach |
AWS/Microsoft | Enterprise AI | Customizable, secure | Requires cloud setup |
LLaMA 3 | Open-source development | Self-hostable, customizable | Not beginner-friendly |
There’s no single "best" AI—it depends on your needs:
General use? → ChatGPT (GPT-4o)
Research? → Perplexity
Business/legal? → Claude 3
Google user? → Gemini 1.5
Coding? → DeepSeek or GPT-4o
Enterprise? → AWS or Microsoft AI
Open-source? → LLaMA 3
Still unsure? Tell us your use case, and we’ll recommend the best AI for you!
Choosing the right AI model depends on your needs:
ChatGPT (GPT-4o) – Best for general AI tasks, writing, and coding.
Perplexity AI – Excels in real-time search and fact-checking with citations.
Claude 3 – Ideal for safe, compliant AI in business and legal applications.
Gemini 1.5 – Strong in multimodal tasks (text, images, code) and Google integrations.
AWS & Microsoft AI – Enterprise-focused with cloud-based solutions.
Meta’s LLaMA – Top open-source option for developers.
DeepSeek – Emerging as a strong coding and multilingual AI, particularly in China.