The hottest AI models, what they do, and how to use them

Tech Crunch - Mar 30th, 2025
Open on Tech Crunch

AI models are being rapidly developed by tech giants like Google and startups such as OpenAI and Anthropic, making it challenging to keep up with the latest advancements. These models, often evaluated by industry benchmarks, sometimes don't reflect real-world usage. TechCrunch offers a detailed overview of the most advanced AI models released since 2024, highlighting their specific use cases and access details. Notable releases include Google's Gemini 2.5 Pro, OpenAI's GPT-4o, and Anthropic's Claude Sonnet 3.7, each showcasing unique capabilities and subscription requirements.

The AI landscape is becoming increasingly complex, with over 1.4 million models available on platforms like Hugging Face. This abundance presents both opportunities and challenges for users seeking effective AI solutions. The implications are significant for industries relying on AI for tasks ranging from coding to image generation. However, issues such as model performance on benchmarks versus real-world tasks, subscription costs, and ethical concerns like copyright and political neutrality continue to shape the discourse around AI development and deployment.

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RATING

5.0
Moderately Fair
Read with skepticism

The article provides a detailed overview of recent AI model developments, focusing on their capabilities and subscription models. While it succeeds in presenting technical information clearly, it falls short in areas of source quality and transparency, lacking citations and context for many claims. The narrative is somewhat imbalanced, emphasizing technological advancements without adequately addressing ethical or societal considerations. Despite these shortcomings, the article remains timely and relevant, engaging readers interested in the latest AI trends. However, its potential impact on broader discussions is limited by the absence of in-depth analysis on controversial topics.

RATING DETAILS

6
Accuracy

The article presents a variety of claims about AI models, such as the number of AI models available and specific capabilities of individual models like Gemini 2.5 Pro and OpenAI's GPT-4o. For instance, the claim about Hugging Face hosting over 1.4 million models needs verification, as does the performance comparison between Gemini 2.5 Pro and Claude Sonnet 3.7. The description of OpenAI's GPT-4o generating Studio Ghibli-style images also requires further validation, especially concerning copyright issues. While the article provides specific details, many claims lack direct source attribution, which affects verifiability and precision.

5
Balance

The story primarily focuses on the technical capabilities and subscription models of various AI tools, offering little insight into potential ethical implications, societal impacts, or diverse perspectives on AI development. It mentions some limitations, such as censorship in certain models, but does not delve deeply into these issues. The emphasis is on the advancements and capabilities, which may skew the narrative towards a more positive outlook without adequately addressing potential drawbacks or controversies.

7
Clarity

The article is generally clear in its language and structure, effectively outlining the capabilities and limitations of various AI models. However, the narrative occasionally jumps between topics without smooth transitions, which may confuse readers unfamiliar with AI technology. The tone remains neutral, focusing on presenting information rather than opinion, which aids comprehension.

4
Source quality

The article lacks explicit citations or references to authoritative sources, making it difficult to assess the reliability of the information presented. It mentions companies like Google, OpenAI, and Anthropic, but does not provide links to official statements or reports that could substantiate the claims. The absence of diverse sources or expert commentary diminishes the credibility and depth of the reporting.

3
Transparency

The article does not clearly disclose the methods used to gather information or the potential conflicts of interest that may affect the narrative. There is a lack of transparency about how the performance metrics and comparisons were determined. Without clear explanations or context, readers are left to question the basis of the claims and the factors influencing the article's impartiality.

Sources

  1. https://techcrunch.com/2025/03/25/google-unveils-a-next-gen-ai-reasoning-model/
  2. https://newsdata.io
  3. https://techcrunch.com/2025/03/24/a-new-challenging-agi-test-stumps-most-ai-models/
  4. http://www.xkahn.com
  5. https://techcrunch.com/2025/03/19/researchers-say-theyve-discovered-a-new-method-of-scaling-up-ai-but-theres-reason-to-be-skeptical/