With so many AI large models available, I've grouped them into a few main categories based on their primary functions to help you choose the right one. Below are the categories and some tools I find easy to use—simple to get started with and focused on practicality!
1. Text Generation: All-in-One for Writing, Chatting, and Polishing
These models specialize in understanding and generating text. Whether you need to write articles, translate, refine copy, or just chat, they've got you covered.
Free and User-Friendly in China:
- DeepSeek Chat (chat.deepseek.com): A versatile tool for text tasks, simple and easy to use.
- Tencent Yuanbao (yuanbao.tencent.com): Packed with features, handles everyday text processing effortlessly.
- Tongyi Qianwen (Qwen) (chat.qwen.ai): Reliable and stable, suitable for all kinds of text needs.
Worth Trying from Abroad:
- Grok (grok.com): Excellent for tasks requiring real-time search, seamlessly pulling data from X platform for up-to-date information.
- Gemini (via Google AI Studio, aistudio.google.com): Nearly free with no limits, great for text generation, translation, and polishing, and even handles mixed text and images—just no video generation.
2. Text-to-Image: Turn Words into Art
These models generate images directly from your text descriptions, perfect for sparking creativity.
Recommended in China:
- Jimeng (jimeng.jianying.com): Not only generates images but also creates videos, full of creative potential, though the free quota is a bit limited.
- Tongyi Wanxiang (wan.video): Excels in both images and videos with good results, but free usage is also restricted.
Strong Options from Abroad:
- Grok: Not just for text—it handles image generation too.
- Gemini: More powerful, capable of generating images independently and embedding them directly in text for a cool experience.
3. Text or Image to Video: From Idea to Short Clip
These models transform text or images into short videos, ideal for quick results.
- Top Picks:
- Jimeng (jimeng.jianying.com)
- Tongyi Wanxiang (wan.video)
4. Audio and Video Understanding: Listen, Watch, and Summarize
These models analyze audio or video content to produce transcriptions or summaries, highly practical.
My Experience and Recommendations
These are the large models I use regularly, and they've all performed well. For text tasks in China, DeepSeek Chat, Tencent Yuanbao, and Tongyi Qianwen are solid, free, and user-friendly.
From abroad, Grok stands out with real-time data from X platform for powerful searches, while Gemini is an all-rounder—almost free, feature-rich, and especially impressive with mixed text and images. For text-to-image or video needs, Jimeng and Tongyi Wanxiang are great domestic choices, though you'll need to manage their free quotas carefully.
If you prefer to stick with just one tool, I highly recommend Gemini. It does almost everything perfectly except generate video, offering incredible value and a smooth experience for developers!