Question 1

What is AI model routing and why use it?

Accepted Answer

AI model routing sends different request types to different models by complexity. Simple queries (classification, extraction) go to low-cost models like Gemini Flash or GPT-4o-mini. Complex reasoning goes to premium tiers like GPT-5.4 or Claude Sonnet 4.6. This can reduce costs by 70-90% while preserving quality.

Question 2

How do I determine request complexity for routing?

Accepted Answer

Complexity 1-2: Simple tasks (classification, formatting, extraction). Complexity 3: Moderate tasks (content generation, Q&A). Complexity 4-5: Complex tasks (reasoning, code generation, analysis). Match complexity to model capability to optimize cost.

Question 3

What is the cost savings from smart routing?

Accepted Answer

Routing simple tasks to Gemini 2.0 Flash or GPT-4o-mini instead of premium tiers like GPT-5.4 can reduce unit cost dramatically. A typical workload with 70% simple, 20% moderate, and 10% complex requests often saves 60-80% overall while maintaining acceptable quality.

Question 4

Which models are best for each complexity level?

Accepted Answer

Simple: Gemini Flash, GPT-4o-mini, GPT-5.4 nano, DeepSeek V3. Moderate: GPT-5.4 mini, Claude Haiku 4.5, GPT-4o-mini. Complex: Claude Sonnet 4.6, GPT-5.4, legacy GPT-4o. Very complex: Claude Opus 4 and GPT-5.4. Match quality needs to cost constraints.

Question 5

How do I implement model routing in my application?

Accepted Answer

Implement routing with a rule-based system: classify requests by complexity upfront, route based on rules. Or use semantic routing: a lightweight classifier determines complexity and selects model. Libraries like LangChain support multi-model routing with fallback chains.

Request	Complexity	Routed Model	Quality	Speed	Cost
Simple Classification	1	Gemini 1.5 Flash	6/10	10/10	$0.0000
Content Generation	3	GPT-5.4 mini	8/10	8/10	$0.0004
Complex Reasoning	5	GPT-5.4	10/10	7/10	$0.0025

Request	Complexity	Routed Model	Quality	Speed	Cost
Simple Classification	1	Gemini 1.5 Flash	6/10	10/10	$0.0000
Content Generation	3	GPT-5.4 mini	8/10	8/10	$0.0004
Complex Reasoning	5	GPT-5.4	10/10	7/10	$0.0025

AI Model Router Calculator

AI Model Router Calculator

Request Types

Smart Routing Results

Routing Strategy

Model Reference Table

Related AI Routing Tools

Model Cost Comparison

LLM Cost Calculator

Budget Guardrails

Cost Optimization

Continue With High-Intent Tools

AI Model Router Calculator

Request Types

Smart Routing Results

Routing Strategy

Model Reference Table