OpenAI Created a Guide on What AI Models are Best and When To Use Them & We Summarized it For You

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Your Easy Guide to OpenAI’s AI Models

Welcome! If you’ve ever wondered which AI model to use for your project or homework, you’re in the right place. OpenAI has created different AI tools that are each good at different jobs-like writing stories, solving math problems, or even understanding pictures and videos. This guide will help you understand what each model does best and show you easy ways to talk to them so you get the best answers. Let’s dive in and find the perfect AI helper for you!

OpenAI has different AI models, and each one is good at different things. Think of them like tools in a toolbox - some are better for certain jobs. Here’s a quick look at what they do best and how you can talk to them.

1. GPT-4o: The Super Helper for Everyday Stuff

What it does:
GPT-4o can understand and talk about words, pictures, sounds, and videos all at once. It’s great for helping you with everyday questions, chatting, or solving simple problems fast.

Why use it:

• Real-time chatting

• Understanding pictures or videos

• Helping with daily tasks like writing or explaining things

Try this prompt:
“Look at this picture of my dog and tell me what he’s doing.”
Or
“Help me write a friendly email to my teacher.”

2. GPT-4.5: The Writing and Coding Buddy

What it does:
GPT-4.5 is great at writing stories, fixing or writing computer code, and solving problems quickly. It can also change how it sounds - like being funny, serious, or friendly.

Why use it:

• Writing essays or stories

• Helping with coding homework

• Changing tone in your messages

Try this prompt:
“Write a short story about a brave cat.”
Or
“Help me fix this code that adds two numbers.”

3. o3: The Deep Thinker for Hard Problems

What it does:
o3 is like a detective that thinks carefully through many steps to solve tricky problems. It’s perfect for homework or projects that need lots of thinking.

Why use it:

• Solving math or science problems step-by-step

• Analyzing complicated ideas

• Doing research or planning

Try this prompt:
“Explain step-by-step how to solve this math problem: 3x + 5 = 20.”
Or
“Help me plan a science project about plants.”

4. o4-mini: The Fast and Friendly Coder

What it does:
o4-mini is a quick and cheap helper for coding, math, and looking at pictures. It’s not as deep as some others but works fast and well.

Why use it:

• Quick coding help

• Fast math answers

• Simple picture questions

Try this prompt:
“Write a Python program that adds two numbers.”
Or
“What is 15 times 8?”

5. o4-mini-high: The Smart Coder with Extra Brainpower

What it does:
Like o4-mini but smarter! It thinks more deeply about technical problems while still being quick.

Why use it:

• Harder coding problems

• Tough math questions

• Technical explanations

Try this prompt:
“Explain why this code doesn’t work and fix it: for i in range(5 print(i)).”
Or
“Solve this math puzzle: If a train travels 60 miles in 1.5 hours, what is its speed?”

6. o1-pro: The Long-Form Expert

What it does:
o1-pro is great for writing long reports or doing deep analysis. It takes its time to think carefully and gives detailed answers.

Why use it:

• Writing long essays or reports

• Analyzing big topics step-by-step

• Research and detailed explanations

Try this prompt:
“Write a detailed report about how climate change affects animals.”
Or
“Explain how the water cycle works in detail.”

Quick Tips for Talking to AI

• Be clear: Tell the AI exactly what you want.

• Ask step-by-step: For tricky problems, ask it to explain each step.

• Set the tone: Say if you want it to be funny, serious, or simple.

• Use “Act as if…”: For example, “Act as if you are a teacher” to get answers that are easy to understand.

Summary Table

Our Prompt Breakdown and Formulas:

GPT-4o: The Real-Time, Multimodal Helper

What it’s best for:
Handling conversations, images, audio, and even video together-great for tasks that need fast, natural responses or combine different types of information.

Prompt Formula:
“Act as [role/expert]. I need help with [task or question]. Here’s [context, file, image, or audio]. Please [describe exactly what you want: explain, summarize, compare, etc.].”

Prompt Examples:

• “Act as a travel agent. I’m sending you a photo of a city. Tell me where this is, what the main attractions are, and suggest a one-day itinerary.”

• “You are a science teacher. Listen to this audio clip of a bird and identify the species. Explain your reasoning step by step.”

• “Act as a graphic designer. Here’s my hand-drawn logo sketch (image attached). Suggest three ways to improve it for a modern website, and explain why.”

Tips:

• Be specific about the context and what you want to learn or change.

• For images or audio, always describe what you want analyzed or improved3.

GPT-4.5: The Writing and Coding Pro

What it’s best for:
Writing with style and tone, coding, and quick problem-solving. Great for emails, stories, code, and adapting to your preferred voice.

Prompt Formula:
“Write [type of content] about [topic] for [audience], using a [tone/style]. Include [specific details, requirements, or constraints].”

Prompt Examples:

• “Write a professional email to my boss explaining why I need Friday off, using a polite and positive tone. Include a brief reason and offer to make up the work.”

• “Act as an experienced Python developer. Review my code (pasted below), find any bugs, and suggest improvements with explanations.”

• “Create a bedtime story for a 6-year-old about a dragon who learns to share, using simple language and a happy ending.”

Tips:

• Tell the model exactly who the audience is and what style you want.

• For code, provide the code and describe the goal or problem12.

o3: The Deep, Multi-Step Thinker

What it’s best for:
Complex analysis, multi-step reasoning, and deep dives into tough questions-perfect for research, planning, or advanced homework.

Prompt Formula:
“Analyze [topic/problem] step by step. First, [do X], then [do Y], and finally [do Z]. Use detailed reasoning and show your work.”

Prompt Examples:

• “Analyze the causes of the American Civil War step by step. Start with economic factors, then discuss political issues, and finally social tensions. Summarize your findings at the end.”

• “You are a math tutor. Solve this equation: 2x + 5 = 17. Show every step and explain why you do each one.”

• “Plan a science fair project about renewable energy. List possible topics, pick the best one, and outline the experiment with materials and steps.”

Tips:

• Break down the task into steps in your prompt.

• Ask for explanations and summaries at the end1.

o4-mini: The Fast, Cost-Efficient Coder and Math Whiz

What it’s best for:
Quick, budget-friendly help with coding, math, and simple visual tasks. Great for fast answers when you don’t need super deep analysis.

Prompt Formula:
“Quickly [do X task: write code, solve math, describe image] for [purpose or context]. Keep it short and clear.”

Prompt Examples:

• “Write a Python function that checks if a number is even or odd. Add comments to explain each step.”

• “Solve 48 divided by 6 and explain your answer in one sentence.”

• “Describe what’s happening in this simple line graph (image attached) in two sentences.”

Tips:

• Keep prompts focused and direct.

• Ask for brief explanations if you want to understand the answer25.

o4-mini-high: The Technical Problem Solver

What it’s best for:
Tougher coding, math, and technical problems-still quick, but with more depth and reasoning.

Prompt Formula:
“Act as a [role/expert]. Here’s a [problem/code/math question]. Analyze and solve it, then explain your reasoning and any alternatives.”

Prompt Examples:

• “You are a senior software engineer. Here’s my JavaScript code (pasted below). It’s not working as expected. Identify the error, fix it, and explain what went wrong.”

• “Solve this word problem: If a train leaves the station at 3:00 PM traveling 60 mph, and another leaves at 4:00 PM going 80 mph, when will the second train catch up? Show all calculations.”

• “Act as a data analyst. Here’s a CSV file with sales data. Find the top-selling product, explain how you found it, and suggest one way to increase sales.”

Tips:

• Give as much detail as possible about the technical problem.

• Ask for both the answer and the explanation12.

o1-pro: The Long-Form, Analytical Writer

What it’s best for:
Long essays, detailed reports, and careful analysis-great for big projects, research, or anything that needs a lot of information and structure.

Prompt Formula:
“Write a detailed [type of document: report, essay, analysis] about [topic] for [audience]. Include [sections/points you want covered], use clear structure, and give examples.”

Prompt Examples:

• “Write a detailed report about how climate change affects ocean animals for a high school science class. Include sections on causes, effects, and possible solutions, with real-world examples.”

• “Create a research paper outline about the benefits of renewable energy. List at least five main sections and what each will cover.”

• “Summarize the main points from this 10-page article (pasted below), highlighting key arguments and evidence.”

Tips:

• Specify what sections or points you want.

• Mention the audience so the writing fits their level245.

How to Build Great Prompts: General Tips

• Be specific: Clearly state what you want, who it’s for, and any special requirements13.

• Add context: Give background info, files, or examples if needed3.

• Break down tasks: For complex requests, list steps or sections1.

• Set the tone: Mention if you want the answer to sound formal, friendly, simple, or technical2.

• Iterate: If the answer isn’t perfect, ask follow-up questions or request changes3.