AI 201 Apply: Everyday Tasks

Choosing the right AI model for your task

19 June 2026

Learn the differences between a standard and reasoning AI model, and when to use each of them.

Thumbnail with a rocket on the left and a gear icon brain on the righ

What are Standard and Reasoning models?

Most people use ChatGPT for writing, summarising, or answering questions. For many of these tasks, a standard model (known as 'Instant' in ChatGPT) is fast and effective.

chatgpt interface with 'instant' model highlighted

However, some tasks require more than a quick answer. They involve decisions, trade-offs, multiple constraints, or several steps that need to be connected logically.

Reasoning models spend more time working through a problem before producing a response. In ChatGPT, these are your 'Thinking' and 'Pro' models. They are designed for tasks that require planning, analysis, comparison, and structured thinking.

chatgpt interface with 'thinking' and 'pro' models highlighted

How do I decide which to use?

Here's a quick mental model for deciding between a standard and reasoning model.

a decision tree for when to use standard vs reasoning models

Or you can think of it this way:

Use a Standard Model for:	Use a Reasoning Model for:
Rewriting text	Comparing options
Drafting emails	Making recommendations
Summarising documents	Building plans
Creating meeting notes	Evaluating trade-offs
Generating simple content	Reviewing work against criteria

Here are some examples of everyday scenarios

Comparison of standard vs reasoning model for 'understanding a policy paper'

How to I select my model in ChatGPT?

☑️ Click the 'Model' dropdown to the right of your chatbox.

Chatgpt interface with 'model ' highlighted

☑️ Select either 'Instant', 'Thinking' or 'Pro'

Chatgpt interface with 'model selection' highlighted

Now it's your turn to try

1) Choose one recurring task from your work
Ask yourself: would a standard or reasoning model be more appropriate?

2) Try both models
Run the same task on a both a standard and reasoning model and compare them.

📅Following the 12-Week Learning Plan?

Congratulations on reaching Week 6! This guide is part of a 12-week learning plan designed to help you build practical AI skills. You're well on your way to becoming AI fluent.

Preview the 12-Week Learning Plan

12 Week Learning Plan

Week 1	CSDPAI Literacy Module OpenAI Academy: AI Foundations Course
Week 2	Webinar: Introduction to AI-First Webinar: ChatGPT for CIO teams
Week 3	Webinar: Open AI ChatGPT Foundations What is AI and why does it matter? How do we use AI at work? Introduction to Prompting
Week 4	Webinar: Introduction to AI-First Webinar: OpenAI ChatGPT Applied
Week 5	Using AI responsibly Webinar: OpenAI ChatGPT Today
Week 6📍	Meeting Minutes with AI Build PowerPoint Decks with AI Build a Policy Q&A Bot for Your Team Choosing the Right AI Model for Your Task 📍 OpenAI: CustomGPTs
Week 7	Generate a Daily Morning Brief Search SharePoint with AI Summarise Microsoft Teams Conversations Reviewing Submissions (with first-cut feedback) OpenAI: Skills
Week 8	AI Apply 201: Domain Specific Tasks OpenAI: ChatGPT for any role
Week 9	Workflow Mapping & Peer Sharing
Week 10	OpenAI: Applied AI Foundations
Week 11	Your AI Playbook
Week 12	AI Tech Festival: AIgniting Action
Week 13	CAT Brownbag at Lorong

⏭️Next Guide: Generate a Daily Morning Brief

↩️Return to: AI 201 Apply Learning Pathway