AI learning guide

Best AI resources for frontier model selection

Choose between GPT, Claude, Gemini, Llama, Mistral, Cohere, DeepSeek, Qwen, Grok, Perplexity, and routed model catalogs without guessing.

Quick answer

Best first move

Pick one educator from the table, watch one matched video, then open one hands-on resource. The aim is to leave with a working habit, project, or mental model tied to frontier models.

How to shortlist

Compare audience, level, format, and starting point. Favor a source that matches your current role and gives you exercises, examples, docs, or code you can use immediately.

What to avoid

Avoid collecting dozens of generic AI tips. Use this guide to choose a narrow learning loop: one topic, one educator, one video, one resource, one application in your own work.

Videos to watch

2025 in LLMs so far

Simon Willison

Educators and sources

Educator / source	Best for	Skills	Start with
Simon Willison Simon Willison on LLMs	Developers, technical generalists	LLM tools, Prompting, AI safety, Local models, Model selection	Read the recent model-roundup posts, then try the llm command-line tool with two or three different providers.
Anthropic Anthropic Learn	Claude users, builders, teams	Claude Opus, Claude Sonnet, Prompting, Claude workflows, MCP, Computer use, AI app design, Frontier model selection	Use the models overview first, then read the Opus page and prompt-engineering or computer-use docs for the exact workflow you want to build.
OpenAI OpenAI model docs and Cookbook	Developers building with OpenAI APIs	GPT models, Reasoning models, Model selection, Agents, RAG, Structured outputs, Evals	Start with the model guide to choose between GPT-5.5, GPT-5.4, mini, or nano, then use the Cookbook or SDK guides for the closest working example.
OpenRouter OpenRouter docs	Developers comparing models	Model routing, Model comparison, Claude Opus, GPT models, Gemini, Llama, Mistral, DeepSeek, Qwen, API examples, Evaluation	Use one prompt across Claude Opus, a GPT model, Gemini, Llama, Mistral, DeepSeek, and Qwen; compare quality, latency, context, and price.
Google AI for Developers Gemini API model docs	Developers building with Gemini	Gemini, Multimodal AI, Long context, Model selection, AI Studio, Realtime, API examples	Compare the Gemini model table, test the same prompt in AI Studio, then decide whether Gemini 2.5 Pro, Flash, or Flash-Lite matches your latency and modality needs.
Mistral AI Mistral models docs	Developers comparing European open and commercial models	Mistral models, Open models, Model selection, Agents, Coding, Reasoning, Multimodal AI	Use the models overview to pick a general, coding, reasoning, or multimodal model, then open the cookbook closest to your app.
Cohere Cohere model docs	Developers building enterprise search and RAG	Command models, RAG, Embeddings, Reranking, Enterprise AI, Model selection	Compare Command, embedding, and rerank model roles before designing a RAG pipeline.
DeepSeek DeepSeek API docs	Developers comparing reasoning and coding models	DeepSeek, Reasoning models, Coding models, OpenAI-compatible APIs, Model selection	Run the first API call with `deepseek-v4-pro` or `deepseek-v4-flash`, then check Models and Pricing for current names and deprecations.
Qwen Qwen API platform	Developers comparing multilingual, coding, and multimodal models	Qwen, Open models, Multilingual AI, Coding agents, Multimodal AI, Model selection	Use the API platform for model access, then read current release posts or the Model Studio model list before picking a stable Qwen family.
xAI xAI Grok model docs	Developers comparing Grok models and real-time AI workflows	Grok, Reasoning models, Coding models, Image models, Video models, Model selection	Use the model selection table, then compare stable aliases with dated releases before using Grok in a workflow that needs repeatability.
Perplexity Perplexity API docs	Developers building AI search and grounded research workflows	AI search, Sonar, Agent API, Grounded answers, Model selection, Research workflows	Read the overview, then compare Search, Sonar, Agent, and Embeddings APIs by use case.

Resources

OpenAI model guide

Model docs · OpenAI · Beginner to advanced

You need to choose between GPT-5.5, GPT-5.4, mini, nano, reasoning levels, tool support, and cost-sensitive API paths.

OpenAI reasoning model guide

Guide · OpenAI · Intermediate

You need to understand when internal reasoning is useful for coding, scientific work, agents, and harder multi-step tasks.

Claude models overview

Model docs · Anthropic · Beginner to advanced

You need the official comparison of current Claude models such as Opus 4.8, Sonnet 4.6, and Haiku 4.5 before choosing cost, speed, and context tradeoffs.

Claude Opus

Model page · Anthropic · Beginner to advanced

You are deciding whether Opus-level quality is worth the cost for complex code, document, agent, or analysis work.

Gemini API models

Model docs · Google AI for Developers · Beginner to advanced

You need to compare Gemini 2.5 and 3.1 model versions, context windows, modalities, stable releases, and experimental model IDs.

Mistral models overview

Model docs · Mistral AI · Beginner to advanced

You need to compare current Mistral families such as Devstral, Magistral, Voxtral, OCR, and general-purpose models.

Cohere models overview

Model docs · Cohere · Beginner to advanced

You need to choose between current Cohere Command, embedding, and rerank models for grounded enterprise search.

DeepSeek API docs

API docs · DeepSeek · Beginner to advanced

You need first-call examples, OpenAI-compatible API usage, and current migration notes for DeepSeek models.

DeepSeek models and pricing

Model docs · DeepSeek · Beginner to advanced

You need current DeepSeek model names, pricing, and deprecation notes before building against the API.

Qwen API platform

API docs · Qwen · Beginner to advanced

You need official Qwen API access, examples, and model-family context.

Qwen Model Studio model list

Model catalog · Qwen · Intermediate

You need the current hosted Qwen and third-party model catalog with modality coverage and capability splits.

xAI Grok models

Model docs · xAI · Beginner to advanced

You need the official Grok model chooser for chat, coding, image, video, and voice workflows, plus aliasing and dated release details.

Perplexity API overview

API docs · Perplexity · Beginner to advanced

You need to understand Search, Sonar, Agent, and Embeddings APIs for grounded AI research workflows.

Perplexity Sonar models

Model docs · Perplexity · Intermediate

You need to compare Sonar, Sonar Pro, Sonar Reasoning Pro, and Sonar Deep Research for grounded search workflows.

Together AI serverless models

Model docs · Together AI · Intermediate

You need to learn how serverless hosted model inference works before deploying an app.

OpenRouter model catalog

Model catalog · OpenRouter · Beginner to advanced

You need to compare many model families through one catalog before testing prompts across providers.

Questions this guide answers

How do I compare GPT-5.5, Claude Opus, Gemini, and other frontier models?

Use the educator table, videos, and resources above to compare options by topic fit, depth, and format. A good choice gives you a concrete next step: a course module, code example, video walkthrough, project, or workflow you can try today.