Engines
Which model powers each AI engine?
The AI engines your customers ask change models constantly, and most of them never say which one wrote a given answer. Here’s what each runs today, how it picks its model, and a dated history of every change — with the primary source for each.
Where we read the model from the engine’s own answers, it’s markedObserved. Where only the vendor discloses a default, it’s Vendor-stated — we never dress one up as the other.
- ChatGPTObservedGPT-5.5 Instantas of May 2026
OpenAI’s assistant — the most-used AI chat app in the world.
What model powers ChatGPT? → - GeminiObservedGemini 3.5 Flashas of May 2026
Google’s Gemini app and assistant (gemini.google.com).
What model powers Gemini? → - PerplexityObservedSonaras of Feb 2025
The answer engine that cites its sources on almost every query.
What model powers Perplexity? → - Microsoft CopilotVendor-statedGPT-5 family (Smart router)as of Aug 2025
Microsoft’s consumer Copilot (copilot.microsoft.com).
What model powers Microsoft Copilot? → - Google AI ModeVendor-statedGemini 3.5 Flash (default) · Gemini 3.x Pro (complex queries)as of May 2026
Google Search’s conversational AI tab.
What model powers Google AI Mode? → - Google AI OverviewsVendor-statedGemini 3 (a custom variant)as of Jan 2026
The AI summary above Google’s search results.
What model powers Google AI Overviews? →
Three steps to get started.
A couple of hours a month is enough to make real progress.
Enter your website.
We look up your business and the questions your customers actually ask AI.
Review what we found.
Confirm your business, your questions and your competitors. Then we ask the live apps your customers actually use: ChatGPT, Gemini, Google AI Overviews, AI Mode, Copilot and Perplexity. Not the developer API, and not the model's training data. Both give a different answer from the one your customer sees.
Get your free report.
Where you appear, who wins instead, and how AI describes you, in plain English with clear next steps. A one-time snapshot to start from.
See what AI says about you.
Get a free report: no sign-up, no credit card, results in minutes. · See a sample report ›
Trouble verifying? Contact us with your domain and we’ll run your report and email it to you.