A key value proposition for vertical AI applications is being model-agnostic. They act as a strategic layer for enterprises, allowing them to route tasks to the best available LLM at any given time. This de-risks enterprise AI strategy from being locked into a single model provider whose performance may be surpassed.

Perplexity's agent, Computer, leverages a "multi-model orchestration" strategy. For a single user request, it might use Opus for planning, GPT for writing, and Gemini for audio. This model-agnostic approach allows it to always use the best-in-class model for each sub-task, a flexibility its larger competitors lack.

The "AI wrapper" concern is mitigated by a multi-model strategy. A startup can integrate the best models from various providers for different tasks, creating a superior product. A platform like OpenAI is incentivized to only use its own models, creating a durable advantage for the startup.

Enterprise platform ServiceNow is offering customers access to models from both major AI labs. This "model choice" strategy directly addresses a primary enterprise fear of being locked into a single AI provider, allowing them to use the best model for each specific job.

Rather than committing to a single LLM provider like OpenAI or Gemini, Hux uses multiple commercial models. They've found that different models excel at different tasks within their app. This multi-model strategy allows them to optimize for quality and latency on a per-workflow basis, avoiding a one-size-fits-all compromise.

Enterprises will shift from relying on a single large language model to using orchestration platforms. These platforms will allow them to 'hot swap' various models—including smaller, specialized ones—for different tasks within a single system, optimizing for performance, cost, and use case without being locked into one provider.

The belief that a single, god-level foundation model would dominate has proven false. Horowitz points to successful AI applications like Cursor, which uses 13 different models. This shows that value lies in the complex orchestration and design at the application layer, not just in having the largest single model.

Like Kayak for flights, being a model aggregator provides superior value to users who want access to the best tool for a specific job. Big tech companies are restricted to their own models, creating an opportunity for startups to win by offering a 'single pane of glass' across all available models.

Alexa's architecture is a model-agnostic system using over 70 different models. This allows them to use the best tool for any given task, focusing on the customer's goal rather than the underlying model brand, which is what most competitors focus on.