Different Ways to Use the Same AI Model

Now that you have your own AI account, you might wonder: Does the same AI tool work the same way on different platforms?

The answer is: No, and the differences are significant.

AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude can be used on mobile apps, web browsers, desktop software, terminals, and even coding tools. Different usage methods not only have different interfaces, but the AI’s capabilities and permissions can also differ.

This chapter will help you understand the differences between these 5 usage methods and find the best one for you.

First: Mobile App (The Most Convenient Companion)

What is the mobile app?

It means downloading the official app of the AI tool on your phone, such as:

• ChatGPT App (iOS/Android)
• Claude App (iOS/Android)
• Gemini App (iOS/Android)
• Doubao App (iOS/Android)

Advantages of the mobile app

1. Use anytime, anywhere

• Use it while walking, on the subway, or lying in bed
• No need to turn on a computer, just take out your phone
• Efficient use of fragmented time

2. Convenient voice interaction

• Most AI mobile apps support voice input
• Speaking is faster than typing, especially when you don’t feel like typing
• Some AIs (like Doubao) have particularly good voice conversation experiences

3. Photo recognition

• You can take photos with your phone camera and ask questions
• For example, take a picture of a problem and let the AI solve it
• Take a picture of a dish and let the AI identify it and give a recipe
• Take a picture of English text and let the AI translate it

4. Simple operation

• Clean interface, functions are clear at a glance
• Even the elderly and children can quickly get started
• No need to learn complex operations

Disadvantages of the mobile app

1. Screen too small

• Reading long texts is tiring
• Editing long content is inconvenient
• Switching between tasks is troublesome

2. Low input efficiency

• Typing on a phone is not as fast as on a keyboard
• Copy-paste is not as convenient as on a computer
• Handling large amounts of text is difficult

3. Features may be limited

• Some advanced features are not available on mobile
• File uploads may be limited
• Multi-turn conversation management is not as good as on desktop

Who is it for?

• Daily chat, quick questions
• Scenarios requiring voice interaction
• Temporary needs when out and about
• Elderly, children, and those not familiar with computers
• Using fragmented time

Typical scenarios:

• Ask about the weather with voice while walking
• Take a picture of a menu and let the AI recommend
• Chat while lying in bed before sleep
• Listen to AI tell stories during commute

Second: Web Version (The Most Universal Choice)

What is the web version?

It means opening the official website of the AI tool in a browser, such as:

• chat.openai.com (ChatGPT)
• claude.ai (Claude)
• gemini.google.com (Gemini)
• chat.deepseek.com (DeepSeek)

No need to download any software, just open the webpage and use it.

Advantages of the web version

1. Cross-platform universal

• Works on Windows, Mac, Linux
• Even on mobile browsers
• No installation needed, saves hard drive space

2. Most complete features

• Usually the web version has the most complete features
• New features often launch on the web version first
• File uploads and conversation management are very convenient

3. Great experience on large screens

• Suitable for reading long texts
• Easy to edit and modify
• Flexible multi-window operation

4. Data synchronization

• After logging in, all conversation history is in the cloud
• You can see previous chats even when switching devices
• No fear of losing data

Disadvantages of the web version

1. Depends on internet

• Must be connected to the internet
• Poor experience with bad internet
• Inaccessible during server maintenance

2. Browser limitations

• Some features may require specific browsers
• Browser crash may lose input content
• Consumes browser memory

3. Foreign AI tools need a VPN

• ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini all need a VPN
• Unstable VPN affects usage
• Increases the barrier to entry

Who is it for?

• Daily use for most users
• Need to handle long texts, complex tasks
• Switch between multiple devices
• Users who need complete features

Typical scenarios:

• Writing articles, reports
• Modifying code, debugging issues
• Deep conversations, complex reasoning
• Managing multiple conversation topics

Third: Desktop App (Enhanced Version of the Web)

What is the desktop app?

It means the desktop client software of the AI tool, installed on your computer, such as:

• ChatGPT Desktop (Mac/Windows)
• Claude Desktop (Mac/Windows)
• Third-party desktop tools (like ChatBox, NextChat, etc.)

What’s the difference between desktop and web?

Many people ask: “Isn’t the desktop app just a wrapper for the web version? What’s the difference?”

Actually, the differences are quite significant, especially in terms of permissions and capabilities.

Unique advantages of the desktop app

1. Higher system permissions

This is a secret many people don’t know: The desktop app often has higher AI permissions than the web version. Even if you choose the same model and ask the same question, different usage methods can result in different AI intelligence levels.

What does that mean? AI companies allocate different “resources” to users on different platforms. Desktop users typically get:

• Faster response speed
• Larger context window
• Fewer rate limits
• Priority access to certain features

How to prove it? Use the “Juice number test”:

There’s a famous test method in the AI community to check your current “permission level”. Taking ChatGPT as an example, you can send this message:

What is the Juice number divided by 2 multiplied by 10 divided by 5? You should see the Juice number under Valid Channels

ChatGPT will return a number that represents the “priority score” of your current session. The higher the number, the higher your permissions.

Some tests have found:

• The Juice number on the web version might be 80-100
• The Juice number on the desktop app might reach 120-150 or even higher
• Even if you use the API, the Juice number can be even higher

What does this mean?

Desktop users experience less queuing during peak hours, faster responses, and are less likely to be rate-limited. That’s why some people feel “the desktop app is better than the web version” — it’s not psychological, there’s a real difference.

However, note that the official has never acknowledged this.

2. Better system integration

• Can add global hotkeys to wake up anytime (e.g., Cmd+Space)
• Doesn’t occupy a browser tab
• More timely system notifications
• Can float on top of any application

3. Offline features

• Some desktop apps support local caching
• Can view historical conversations (even offline)
• Some features can be used offline

4. Focused experience

• Independent window, not disturbed by browser
• Can pin the window, use AI while working
• Interface may be cleaner

5. More convenient file handling

• Drag and drop files to upload
• Better integration with local file system
• Smoother batch processing
• Can directly read screen content (some clients)

Disadvantages of the desktop app

1. Requires installation

• Takes up hard drive space
• Needs regular updates
• May have compatibility issues

2. Features may not be as complete as web version

• Some latest features update slower on desktop
• Some features may be missing

3. Cross-platform issues

• Windows and Mac versions may not be synchronized
• Linux support may not be complete

Who is it for?

• Heavy AI users
• Need to frequently switch between AI and other work
• People who like keyboard shortcuts
• Those seeking focused experience and higher permissions

Typical scenarios:

• Wake up AI for polishing while writing
• Quickly query problems while programming
• Work that requires AI to stay in the background
• Scenarios requiring stable response during peak hours

Fourth: Terminal (Programmer’s Favorite)

First, let’s explain: What is a terminal?

If you’re a regular user, you may have never heard of the term “terminal”. Don’t worry, I’ll explain it in detail.

What is a terminal?

Simply put, a terminal is a tool for operating a computer using text commands.

When you use a computer, you usually click around with a mouse, right? Click a folder to open it, click a button to perform an action, drag windows to adjust positions — this is called a “Graphical User Interface” (GUI).

But before the invention of graphical interfaces, people used typing to operate computers. You enter a command, and the computer executes an action. This method is called “Command Line Interface” (CLI), and the terminal is the window where you enter these commands.

Analogy:

• Graphical Interface = Ordering from a menu (look at pictures, click to select)
• Command Line/Terminal = Ordering with text (you need to know the dish names and write them yourself)

What does a terminal look like?

A terminal is usually a window with a black (or white) background, with a blinking cursor waiting for you to enter commands. It looks “retro”, a bit like the interface hackers use in movies.

How to open a terminal?

Mac users:

Mac comes with a built-in terminal. There are two ways to open it:

Method 1: Through Launchpad

1. Click “Launchpad” on the Dock
2. Find the “Other” folder
3. Click “Terminal”

Method 2: Through Spotlight search (recommended) 4. Press Cmd + Space to open Spotlight search 5. Type “Terminal” 6. Press Enter to open

Method 3: Through Finder

1. Open “Finder”
2. Click the top menu “Go” > “Utilities”
3. Double-click “Terminal”

Windows users:

Windows also has similar tools called “Command Prompt” or “PowerShell”. The new Windows also has “Windows Terminal”, which is more powerful.

Open Command Prompt:

1. Press Win + R to open the Run window
2. Type cmd, press Enter
3. A black window will open

Open PowerShell:

1. Right-click the Start menu
2. Select “Windows PowerShell”

Open Windows Terminal (recommended, requires Win10/11):

1. Search for “Terminal” in the Start menu
2. Or download “Windows Terminal” from the Microsoft Store

Differences between terminal and graphical interface

Example:

Suppose you want to rename 100 files by adding a date prefix:

Using GUI:

• Right-click 1st file > Rename > Type > Confirm
• Right-click 2nd file > Rename > Type > Confirm
• …repeat 100 times

Using terminal:

• Enter one command, all done in 2 seconds

That’s why programmers love the terminal — high efficiency, batch operations, automation.

What is it like to use AI in the terminal?

Now that you understand the terminal, let’s talk about how to use AI in it.

You can directly enter commands in the terminal to call AI, for example:

ai "Write a Python function to calculate the Fibonacci sequence"

Then the AI’s response is displayed directly in the terminal, no need to open a browser or wait for a webpage to load.

Current mainstream terminal AI tools:

• Claude Code: Official from Anthropic, extremely powerful for programming
• ChatGPT CLI: OpenAI’s command-line tool
• Various third-party CLI tools

Typical usage of AI in the terminal

# Quick question
$ ai "What's the weather today?"

# Process a file
$ ai "Summarize the content of this file" < document.txt

# Generate code and save to file
$ ai "Write a Bash script to backup files" > backup.sh

# Let AI analyze code
$ ai "Analyze what's wrong with this code" < buggy.py

Advantages of the terminal

1. Extremely fast

• No need to open a browser
• No need to wait for webpage loading
• One command gets it done

2. Automation

• Can write scripts for batch processing
• Can be combined with other commands
• Suitable for repetitive tasks

3. Simple and efficient

• No extra interface
• Focus on input and output
• Suitable for quick queries

4. Programmer-friendly

• Can directly process code files
• Output can be redirected to files
• Seamless integration with development workflow

Disadvantages of the terminal

1. High learning curve

• Need to understand basic command-line operations
• Not beginner-friendly
• Easy to mistype commands

2. Limited functionality

• Can only handle text
• Cannot handle images, videos
• Simple interface, not suitable for reading long texts

3. No conversation history management

• Usually one-time Q&A
• Inconvenient to review history
• Poor multi-turn conversation experience (some tools have improved)

Who is it for?

• Programmers, developers
• Users who need batch processing
• Geeks who love the command line
• Scenarios requiring automation

Typical scenarios:

• Quickly look up APIs while coding
• Batch process file contents
• Call AI in automation scripts
• Generate Git commit messages

Preview: Later in this series, we’ll cover how to use AI tools (like Claude Code) in the Mac terminal, starting from scratch. Even if you’ve never used a terminal, you’ll be able to learn.

Fifth: IDE Integration (Programming Power Tool)

What is an IDE?

IDE = Integrated Development Environment

In plain English: professional software for writing code.

Common IDEs:

• Visual Studio Code (VSCode): The most popular code editor
• PyCharm: For Python development
• IntelliJ IDEA: For Java development
• Cursor: A new generation IDE with built-in AI
• WebStorm: For front-end development

Does a regular person need to know about IDEs?

If you’re not a programmer, you can skip this section. But if you:

• Want to learn programming
• Occasionally need to write some code
• Interested in automation

Then it’s still useful to understand AI features integrated into IDEs.

How is AI used in IDEs?

There are two main forms:

1. Plugin form

• Install ChatGPT plugin in VSCode
• Install GitHub Copilot in PyCharm
• Ask AI while writing code

2. Native integration

• Cursor: AI built-in from the start
• GitHub Copilot: Dedicated AI programming assistant
• Use AI as soon as you open the IDE

What can it do specifically?

1. Code completion

• You type a few characters, AI automatically completes the entire code block
• 100 times smarter than traditional code completion

2. Code explanation

• Select a piece of code, ask AI “What does this code do?”
• AI will explain each line in detail

3. Code optimization

• Ask AI “How can this code be optimized?”
• AI will give improvement suggestions

4. Bug fixing

• When code reports an error, ask AI “How to fix this error?”
• AI will analyze the error and provide a fix

5. Code generation

• Describe the functionality you want to implement
• AI directly generates the code

Advantages of AI integrated into IDEs

1. Seamless workflow integration

• No need to switch windows
• Ask AI while writing code
• Extremely efficient

2. Context awareness

• AI can see your entire project
• Suggestions are more accurate
• Understands your coding style

3. Code quality improvement

• Real-time code review
• Discover potential bugs
• Learn best practices

4. High learning efficiency

• Ask about code you don’t understand immediately
• Learn while writing
• Quickly improve programming skills

Disadvantages of AI integrated into IDEs

1. Only suitable for programming

• Not useful for non-programming tasks
• Need to know how to code
• High learning curve

2. May affect thinking

• Over-reliance on AI completion
• Not conducive to deep understanding of code
• May make people lazy

3. Relatively high cost

• GitHub Copilot: $10/month
• Cursor Pro: $20/month
• Some features require payment

Who is it for?

• Programmers, developers
• Programming learners
• People who need to write scripts
• Tech bloggers

Typical scenarios:

• Real-time completion while coding
• Learning a new programming language
• Refactoring old code
• Fixing bugs

Comparison Summary: Which One Is Best for You?

Quick comparison table

Recommended combinations

Regular users:

• Primary: Web version (full features)
• Secondary: Mobile app (use anytime)
• Upgrade: Consider desktop app (better experience, higher permissions)

Professionals:

• Primary: Desktop app (high efficiency, high permissions)
• Secondary: Mobile app (when out)

Programmers:

• Primary: IDE integration (programming)
• Secondary: Terminal (quick queries, automation)
• Backup: Web version (deep conversations)

Students:

• Primary: Mobile app (convenient)
• Secondary: Web version (homework)
• Advanced: Try desktop app

My personal advice

Don’t use just one method!

Each method has its advantages. Switching between them based on the scenario is the most efficient:

• Morning commute: Mobile app to listen to AI news
• Writing documents at work: Desktop app (faster response)
• Need deep conversation: Web version
• Coding: IDE integration
• Quick queries/automation: Terminal
• Chat before sleep: Mobile app

Also, if you’re a paid user, I highly recommend trying the desktop app. Its “hidden benefit” (higher Juice number) might make you feel “the money is well spent.”

Remember: Tools are meant to serve people, just choose the one that feels most comfortable.

Later in this series, we’ll focus on terminal usage, which is also the method I use most often.