Our comparison method
We tested the three models on 8 task categories: long document analysis, code generation, complex reasoning, structured data extraction, writing, multi-turn conversations, classification and summarisation.
Claude 4 (Anthropic): the reasoning champion
Claude 4 stands out for complex reasoning, nuanced analysis and strict instruction following. Its 200K token context without degradation is unmatched.
GPT-5 (OpenAI): best for code
GPT-5 maintains dominance on code generation and technical tasks. The OpenAI API ecosystem remains the most mature.
Our field recommendation: Claude 4 Sonnet for agents and analysis, GPT-4o for code and APIs, Gemini 2.5 Flash for high-volume tasks where cost is critical.
Gemini 2.5 (Google): the value champion
Gemini 2.5 Flash offers remarkable performance at 5-10x lower cost than premium models. Best economic choice for classification, summarisation and large-volume extraction.
Our decision guide
Complex AI agents: Claude 4 Sonnet. Code generation: GPT-4o or Claude 4. Long documents: Claude 4. High volume low cost: Gemini 2.5 Flash. General use: Claude 4 Sonnet.
Building your own comparison protocol, instead of following public rankings, is an exercise in the AI Engineering Bootcamp.
