AI Model Usage Fragments as Users Strategically Deploy 30+ Different Models for Specialized Tasks
Summary
AI users now strategically deploy over 30 different models for specialized tasks, with no single model capturing more than 17% of usage as the market fragments from two dominant models controlling 90% in January to four models each holding just 10% by December.
Key Points
- Perplexity research reveals AI model usage has become highly fragmented, with no single model capturing more than 17% of overall platform usage as users become more strategic in their choices
- Market fragmentation deepened throughout 2025, shifting from two models dominating 90% of usage in January to four models each holding 10% shares by December, with different models preferred for specific tasks like visual arts, financial analysis, and software development
- Enterprise accounts demonstrate this specialization trend most clearly, with top 50 enterprise users leveraging an average of 30 different AI models compared to just seven for typical accounts