Have you ever been to a restaurant where you can order exactly what you want, like picking just the burger without the fries or the pizza without the wings? That’s called à la carte. Now imagine if AI worked the same way—you could have a special AI that’s good at a few things instead of trying to do everything. That’s what we’re talking about when we say à la carte AI—AI models that are designed to specialize in specific subject matters.
In this blog, we’re going to explore what à la carte AI is, why it’s useful, and how it’s different from other AI models that try to do everything.
What Is À La Carte AI?
Most of the time when people think of AI, they imagine something like Siri or ChatGPT—AI that can do a little bit of everything. These AI models are like all-you-can-eat buffets: they can answer your questions, help with homework, translate languages, and even tell you jokes. But sometimes, you don’t need an AI that does everything; you just want one that’s ok or really good at certain things.
That’s where à la carte AI comes in. These are AI systems that focus on one subject, becoming experts in that area. For example:
An AI that’s amazing at cooking but doesn’t know anything about math.
An AI that can give great advice about life lessons but can’t help you with science homework.
An AI that specializes in identifying different types of songs but won’t help much with understanding Shakespeare.
Why Specialize?
So, why would anyone want an AI that can only do one thing? Isn’t it better to have an AI that knows alot about everything? Well, not always. Here’s why specialized AI can be super useful:
1. They Get Really Good at One Thing
Just like people, AI that focuses on one subject gets really good at that subject. Imagine trying to be the best at every sport—you probably wouldn’t be as good at each one as someone who only focuses on soccer or basketball. The same goes for AI. By focusing on one topic, à la carte AI can be more accurate, faster, and more helpful for that particular task.
For example, if you needed help with complicated algebra, you’d want an AI that’s a math expert, not one that’s only okay at math because it’s also trying to do a hundred other things.
2. They’re Easier to Train and Maintain
Creating an AI that can do everything is really complicated and takes a lot of time, lots of money, and lots of data. But if you only need an AI to do one specific job, it’s much easier to train. Think of it like studying for one test versus studying for every test in all your subjects—focusing on just one thing makes it easier to get better results faster.
Since specialized AI doesn’t need to be a jack-of-all-trades, it’s also easier to maintain and improve over time. Our developers can focus on making it the best at that one subset without worrying about all the other things a general AI has to do.
3. They’re Efficient and Cost-Effective
Because specialized AI only needs to do a few things, it doesn’t use up as much computing power or resources. It’s like using a calculator for math instead of trying to figure it out with a massive computer system designed to do everything from video editing to weather forecasting. For companies, this can save a lot of money and make the AI run faster and more efficiently.
4. They Offer Customized Solutions
Sometimes you don’t need an AI that can talk to everyone. You might just need one that’s great at understanding your thoughts and talk personal with you. À la carte AI can be custom-built for those specific needs, offering better, more tailored experiences.
Where Do We See À La Carte AI in Real Life?
You’ve probably already interacted with specialized AI without even realizing it! Here are some common examples:
Customer Support Bots: Some AI are designed to help customers with specific problems. These bots are experts at answering frequently asked questions about things like your bank account or online shopping orders. They don’t need to know everything about the world, just how to solve customer problems quickly. These are often frustrating to deal with because they are so limited in their understanding and responses.
Language Translators: Tools like Google Translate are great at converting text from one language to another. They focus entirely on understanding languages and don’t try to help you with anything else.
Educational Tools: Some AI models are designed to be tutors in one subject, like math or reading comprehension. These AIs help students learn specific skills and are experts at teaching that one subject.
What Are the Limitations of À La Carte AI?
Of course, à la carte AI isn’t perfect for every situation. Here are some of the downsides:
1. They Can’t Do Multiple Tasks
If you need help with a variety of tasks, a specialized AI won’t be enough. For example, if you’re doing homework and need help with math, history, and science all at once, a specialized AI that only knows math won’t be able to help with the rest. For that, you’d need a more general AI that can switch between different tasks.
2. They’re Not as Flexible
À la carte AI is laser-focused on its specialty, which means it can’t adapt as well to new or unexpected situations. If you ask it something outside its area of expertise, it might not know how to respond. For example, an AI trained to help with algebra might struggle if you suddenly ask it to explain how photosynthesis works.
3. You Might Need Multiple AIs
If you need help with lots of different subjects or tasks, you might end up needing several different à la carte AIs. This can get complicated, as you’d have to switch between them depending on what you need help with. It’s like having a different tutor for every subject—you get the best help, but it can be a hassle to manage.
So, Which One Is Better: À La Carte AI or General AI?
There’s no “one size fits all” when it comes to AI. Sometimes, a general AI that can handle lots of different tasks is exactly what you need. We use OpenAI, CoPilot and tons of others every single day and this won't change anytime soon. However we feel there's a missing gap in the emotional and human intelligence factor.
Conclusion
À la carte AI is a useful option when you need to control cost and use ordinary computing power. It’s efficient, fast, and reliable for that one thing, but it won’t be able to handle everything else. So we need multiple ones to create your ideal A.I.
So, the next time you need help, think about whether you’d prefer an all-in-one AI or if it might be better to call us about an AI that’s tailored for you!
Pat Bhakta
Founder
