The true power of the AI application layer lies in orchestrating multiple, specialized foundation models. Users want a single interface (like Cursor for coding) that intelligently routes tasks to the best model (e.g., Gemini for front-end, Codex for back-end), creating value through aggregation and workflow integration.

The perception of a 'critically thinking' AI doesn't come from a single, powerful model. It's the result of using multiple levels of LLMs, each with a very specific, targeted task—one for orchestrating, one for actioning, and another for responding. This specificity yields far better results than a generalist approach.

Instead of switching between ChatGPT, Claude, and others, a multi-agent workflow lets users prompt once to receive and compare outputs from several LLMs simultaneously. This consolidates the AI user experience, saving time and eliminating 'LLM ping pong' to find the best response.

Use a highly intelligent model like Opus for high-level planning and a more diligent, execution-focused model like a GPT-Codex variant for implementation. This 'best of both worlds' approach within a model-agnostic harness leads to superior results compared to relying on a single model for all tasks.

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.

By making different foundation models (like Gemini and Claude) collaborate, developers can achieve superior outcomes. One model's unique knowledge, such as using a free RSS feed instead of costly APIs, can create vastly more efficient and creative solutions than a single model could alone.

Different LLMs have unique strengths and knowledge gaps. Instead of relying on one model, an "LLM Council" approach queries multiple models (e.g., Claude, Gemini) for the same prompt and then uses an agent to aggregate and synthesize the responses into one superior output.

Perplexity's standout feature, the "model council," queries multiple LLMs for one prompt, then highlights and analyzes differences in their responses. This turns model agnosticism into a powerful tool for users seeking nuanced, reliable answers rather than a single black-box output.

Perplexity's core advantage is its model-agnostic orchestration. Unlike vertically integrated competitors (Google, OpenAI), it can select the best model for any task—whether from GPT, Claude, or open-source alternatives—to offer a superior, specialized "orchestra" of AI capabilities.