Multimodal AI platforms provide a more flexible way of using artificial intelligence. Whereas traditional systems would only allow one input (text, images, audio or video), multimodal platforms can be used to interpret an array of different types of data. They reduce the need to use different AI platforms for different tasks, instead giving you all the tools you need in one place.
Below we’ll discuss how to choose the right AI multimodal platform and some of the key features to look for.
Choosing a multimodal AI platform for your purpose
First consider what you will be using an AI multimodal platform for. Some of the different potential uses include:
- Creative arts: Some platforms like Runway are designed for filmmaking, offering tools for video generation and video editing, while others like Midjourney can be used for visual arts.
- Marketing content: Other platforms are geared towards marketing like Hubspot Breeze, which enables users to handle everything from content generation to data enrichment in one place.
- Research and studying: Some multimodal platforms like Google Gemini are excellent for research or studying – converting text, images or video simultaneously. Perplexity AI is another example which has an Academic mode.
- Financial analysis: Specific multimodal platforms like Energent.ai can be used to interpret PDFs, scans and web data for fast and in-depth financial analysis.
- Healthcare assistance: The likes of Google Healthcare Cloud and Microsoft Dragon Copilot can be used to interpret x-rays, CT scans and clinical reports to help with diagnosis.
Features to consider
Think about what features are most important to your common type of usage. Some of the important features to consider include:
Real-time processing
Do you need a model that is able to access the latest data? For up-to-minute market analytics or blog posts on trending topics, it could be key to use a platform that is able to access data acquired in the last few days rather than using inaccurate months-old data.
Ethical bias and compliance
Some multimodal AI platforms only use models with strict ethical standards, while others like Grok don’t censor as much and could produce more controversial results. For certain applications, it could be important to consider the repercussions of this. Laws like GDPR and HIPAA could meanwhile be vital to consider for certain industry uses.
Customization
Think carefully about how AI models can be customized to your needs and whether this is useful. For example, some platforms help you to follow brand guidelines such as keeping content to a certain tone of voice or images to a certain format.
Data format options
When it comes to input options, think about what data formats certain platforms accept. Some models do not interpret PDFs for example, which could be vital in certain industries. Similarly some models may only accept certain video formats or certain languages.
Multiple models vs a single fusion model
Some platforms like Atlas Cloud AI provide unified API access to hundreds of different AI models. This not only allows you to access tools like text-to-image generators and generative writing tools, but also allows you to play with different models to compare outcomes. If you’re not happy with a video generated, you can try a different model to see if it comes out better.
Other multimodal AI platforms consist of a single model that can handle a variety of different data modalities. Examples of this include ImageBind which is able to interpret images, videos, text, audio, spatial depth, thermal and IMU to perform all kinds of functions from generating videos from text to turning audio into images.
Comparing pricing
Each multimodal AI platform charges differently, and it’s important to compare methods of payment. Many are metered, allowing you to pay for a certain amount of tokens – essentially charging you only for what you use. Others charge a monthly subscription fee with set limits per month (which may include different tiers).
Work out what your monthly budget is and how frequently you’re going to use AI tools. A subscription platform may make more sense if you are using AI on a regular basis, whereas a metered version could be more practical for occasional or sporadic usage.
There are free platforms that you can use, but most of the best multimodal platforms have quite limited free versions – if you want the power to use these platforms multiple times per day or access higher quality models, you will need to consider a paid version. Of course, a free solution may be all you need if you’re only going to occasionally use it.