Choosing the Right AI Platform¶

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

This comprehensive guide helps you choose the right AI platform for your needs. All pricing information has been verified as of January 2026.

Platform Comparison Tables¶

Below are tables that rank popular AI platforms by use case, organized by Chat, Research, Code, and Image/Video generation capabilities.

Best for Chat¶

Best for Research¶

Best for Code¶

Best for Image/Video¶

Additional Platforms & Resources¶

Open Source & Self-Hosted¶

Educational AI Platforms¶

These platforms provide AI-powered tutoring and learning support across various subjects:

For more information on using AI for tutoring and education, see AI Tutoring: Student's Guide.

Important Notes¶

Security & Research Considerations: For research use, consult your institution's AI policies. Some platforms (DeepSeek, Qwen) have restrictions for US-based researchers. See Important Restrictions below for details.

Agentic Browsers (AI-Powered Web Browsers)¶

Agentic browsers integrate AI directly into your web browsing experience, enabling autonomous task execution, intelligent search, and productivity enhancements.

Notes on Agentic Browsers:

• True Agentic Capabilities: Comet, Fellou, Opera Neon, Dia, and Genspark can autonomously perform multi-step tasks (booking, purchasing, form filling)
• AI-Enhanced: Microsoft Edge Copilot Mode, Opera One, and Brave Leo provide AI assistance but with less autonomous action
• Platform Availability: Most are Chromium-based; Dia is macOS only (M1+); Others support Windows/Mac/Linux
• Privacy Considerations: Check each browser's data policies - some use cloud AI, others offer local processing
• Coming Soon: OpenAI browser expected late 2025 with ChatGPT integration and Operator agent

API Pricing for Developers¶

For developers building with AI APIs, here's detailed token-level pricing:

⚠️ Important Restrictions for US-Based Researchers¶

DeepSeek AI - Federal and State Restrictions¶

PAID CLOUD SERVICE NOT ALLOWED:

DeepSeek's paid API and cloud services are prohibited for US-based researchers at many institutions due to:

Federal Restrictions:

• H.R. 1121 - "No DeepSeek on Government Devices Act" (Introduced Feb 2025)

• House Select Committee Report - "DeepSeek Unmasked: Exposing the CCP's Latest Tool For Spying, Stealing, and Subverting U.S. Export Control Restrictions"

• Federal Agency Bans: NASA, U.S. Navy, Department of Defense (DOD), Department of Commerce have banned DeepSeek

• Owned by High-Flyer (Chinese company with CCP control)

• Data stored in China and accessible to Chinese government

• Content manipulation to align with CCP propaganda

State-Level Bans:

• Texas (Jan 31, 2025), Virginia (Feb 11, 2025), New York (Feb 10, 2025)

• Additional states: Iowa, South Dakota, Kansas, Tennessee, North Carolina, Nebraska, Arkansas, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Alabama, Georgia

University Bans:

• All Virginia public universities (George Mason, UVA, Virginia Tech, William & Mary, JMU)

• North Dakota University System

SELF-HOSTED OPEN-SOURCE MAY BE PERMITTED:

Open-source DeepSeek models can be downloaded and run on-premises, but researchers MUST:

• ✅ Check with institutional IT and security teams first

• ✅ Ensure compliance with federal grant requirements (NSF, DOD, DOE)

• ✅ Never upload sensitive, proprietary, or controlled data

• ✅ Document usage for research security compliance

Qwen (Alibaba) - Data Sovereignty Concerns¶

NOT SPECIFICALLY BANNED, BUT NOT RECOMMENDED:

Qwen is not subject to specific federal bans like DeepSeek, but has serious concerns for US researchers:

Key Issues:

• Owned by Alibaba (Chinese company subject to CCP control)

• Data stored in China under Chinese data sovereignty laws

• No GDPR compliance or EU data protection representative

• Potential surveillance under Chinese national security laws

• Congressional scrutiny (Senators urged sanctions in 2023, not yet implemented)

Regulatory Framework:

• NSF Research Security - Requires disclosure of foreign support and affiliations

• Treasury Outbound Investment Restrictions - Limits US investments in Chinese AI companies (affects funding, not use)

• No Entity List designation (as of Oct 2025)

SELF-HOSTED OPEN-SOURCE MAY BE PERMITTED:

Qwen's Apache 2.0 licensed models (40M+ downloads on HuggingFace) can be run on-premises, but researchers MUST:

• ✅ Check with institutional IT and security teams first

• ✅ Verify compliance with federal grant terms

• ✅ Avoid uploading to Chinese cloud services

• ✅ Document AI tool usage in research security plans

Recommendations for Researchers¶

✅ SAFE FOR RESEARCH (US-based alternatives):

• OpenAI (ChatGPT, GPT-5 API) - US company

• Anthropic (Claude) - US company

• Google (Gemini) - US company

• Microsoft (Copilot) - US company

• Mistral AI - French company (EU-based)

• Cohere - Canadian company

⚠️ USE WITH EXTREME CAUTION (Chinese companies):

• DeepSeek - BANNED at many institutions

• Qwen - Not banned, but data sovereignty concerns

• Check institutional policies BEFORE use

✅ SELF-HOSTED OPEN-SOURCE (May be acceptable):

• Meta Llama (US company, Apache 2.0)

• DeepSeek open-source (with institutional approval)

• Qwen open-source (with institutional approval)

• Mistral open-source (EU company, Apache 2.0)

ALWAYS:

1. Check your institution's AI usage policy

2. Review federal grant terms (NSF, NIH, DOD, DOE)

3. Consult with IT security and research compliance offices

4. Never share sensitive, proprietary, or controlled data with foreign AI services

5. Document all AI tool usage for research security requirements