AI Fluency - Communication, Context & Model Mastery · Use AI
Frontier Models & Smart Routing for SMBs
Understand the 2026 AI model landscape - Claude, GPT-5.4, Gemini 3.1 Pro, Grok 4, DeepSeek - and build a tiered routing strategy that cuts costs without sacrificing quality.
7 lessons · 245 minutes
Before starting: Completed The Three-Layer AI Communication Stack or equivalent prompt-writing practice
Start courseWhat you walk away with
- Match Claude, GPT-5.4, Gemini 3.1 Pro, Grok 4, and DeepSeek to the jobs each model wins
- Build a frugal, balanced, premium routing strategy that cuts model spend up to 76 percent
- Complete a selection matrix assigning one model per recurring business use case
- Judge when open-weight and budget-tier models are good enough for a given task
- A tested prompt or customer-facing workflow you can run this week. Every artifact saves to your workspace, so you keep it after the course ends.
- A knowledge-check quiz and a visual walkthrough inside every one of the 7 lessons, about 4 hours of guided work.
- Most lessons close with a checklist, template, or do-it-this-week task, so progress shows up in your work, not just in the app.
Why No Single Model Wins Everything: The 2026 Fragmentation
Understand why the AI landscape fragmented in 2026 and why choosing the right model for each task is now as important as choosing the right prompt.
Claude: Coding Leader, Long-Form Strength, 30-Hour Agentic Runs
Learn what makes Claude the leading AI model for coding, long-form content, and extended autonomous workflows - and understand which of your business tasks are the best fit.
GPT-5.4: All-Rounder, Native Computer Use, OpenAI Ecosystem
Learn what distinguishes GPT-5.4 from other frontier models - especially its native computer use capability - and understand when OpenAI's ecosystem is the right choice for your business.
Gemini 3.1 Pro: Research Leader, 2.5M Context Window, Google Grounding
Understand what makes Gemini 3.1 Pro the leading model for research, deep reasoning, and large-document analysis - and when its 2.5 million token context window changes what is possible.
Grok 4, DeepSeek V3, and the Open-Weight Tier
Understand when Grok 4's human-voice capability and DeepSeek's ultra-low-cost open-weight models belong in your AI toolkit - and what data sovereignty means for regulated industries.
Frugal, Balanced, Premium Routing: The 76% Cost Reduction Playbook
Apply the three-tier model routing framework to cut your AI costs by up to 76% without sacrificing quality on the tasks that matter most.
Building Your AI Tool Stack: One Model Per Use Case, the Selection Matrix
Design your complete AI tool stack with a selection matrix that matches the right model to each business task type and creates a system you can manage, update, and build on.