Too much choice can be overwhelming. As the number of large language models (LLMs) continues to proliferate, most consumers aren’t sure which artificial intelligence (AI) tools to use for which tasks. Paralysis sets in – research from Menlo suggests 91% of people use the same AI model for every task, with ChatGPT and Google Gemini leading the way.

That’s where San Francisco-based start-up Use.ai thinks it can make a difference, with what it describes as an “all-in-one AI workspace”. Less than a year after its launch, the firm has just broken through the 1 million active monthly users mark.

Use.ai’s idea is that consumers should be able to access a wide range of LLMs through a single interface, rather than having to move from one to another to get the best tool for each job. Its platform therefore offers access to more than 10 leading models, including GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok and DeepSeek, all from a single Use.ai account.

“We give users access to the top frontier models under one roof, with no need to switch between accounts,” explains Ihor Herasymov, Use.ai’s founder. “There is also no need transfer your history and context from one model to another.”

It’s an evolving proposition. Right now, Use.ai offers two different options. Its free version is powered by open-source models that the company trains itself and is aimed at consumers looking for AI tools to perform more straightforward tasks. Alternatively, for those who need a more sophisticated approach – for data-heavy or deeply analytical work, say – the paid-for version of Use.ai offers users the opportunity to choose from a range of LLMs, with a monthly fee starting at $29.99 providing access to these more advanced frontier models.

In time, Use.ai aspires to make such choices irrelevant for its users – and explicitly target the issue of consumer confusion. Herasymov’s team is currently building an updated version of the tool that will automatically route every task or query to the most appropriate model, assuming that’s what the user wants. “We already see huge demand for that sort of automation,” Herasymov says of this iteration of the platform, due for launch before the end of the year. “We need to find ways to remove the frictions from the user experience of AI.”

It’s about catering to different audiences, Use.ai believes. Certainly, there are consumers who use AI confidently and relish the opportunity to switch between different models. A company poll of 5,000 users found 42% switched between models for better quality or deeper reasoning, while 37% switch depended on the task. Equally, there are plenty of consumers who wouldn’t know where to start with such a strategy. In a separate Use.ai survey of 30,000 users, 54% said they were either using AI for the first time or had only tried it a few times.

Herasymov is confident that Use.ai can satisfy both groups. “We want to be where your AI relationship begins and where it stays, regardless of which model wins next,” he says.

Still, it’s worth pointing out that Use.ai doesn’t have this market to itself. Apps such as Poe, developed by Quora, also allow consumers to access a range of different models from a single starting point. In the developer space, services such as OpenRouter provide similar functionality.

Use.ai’s rapid growth suggests it can compete in this arena – and the company boasts impressive feedback on consumer sentiment sites such as Trustpilot, where it has already amassed around 50,000 reviews at four stars or better. “I believe AI is a breakthrough technology for humanity, and people should have access to as many of these tools as simply as possible,” adds Herasymov.

Incubated at Ruby Labs, the company has yet to raise funding, though investors have expressed interest. In the meantime, Herasymov’s job is to keep adding users, with a business model built on subscription income.