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The simplest recommendation for most leaders and operators who want strong everyday AI access without overthinking the stack.
Updated monthly
May 2026 AI Brief
A monthly executive field guide to the AI models, workflows, and practical prompts worth using now.
Current operator stack
Ghostty + Cursor + Codex
Ghostty for terminal work, Cursor for viewing and editing files, and Codex for implementation-heavy coding tasks.
Best customization app
Claude
Best fit when you want custom working styles, reusable instructions, and a more tailored assistant experience.
May 2026 picks
What to use right now.
These are Amplify's current recommendations. The names will change over time. The operating principle should not: choose models by job, not by hype.
Best general-purpose model
GPT-5.5
When to use it
Use it when the work is ambiguous, cross-functional, or important enough that quality matters more than speed.
Why it matters
It is the strongest default for strategy, writing, analysis, research, and messy executive work.
Best code model
GPT-5.5 High
When to use it
Use it for implementation work that needs to touch real files, reason across a codebase, and verify its own changes.
Why it matters
The model is especially strong when coding is not just autocomplete, but planning, editing, testing, and debugging.
Best planning model
GPT-4.6
When to use it
Use it to structure options, sequence decisions, and turn fuzzy goals into an execution plan.
Why it matters
Planning quality compounds before the first build step. The right plan prevents expensive implementation churn.
Best value/workhorse model
Gemini 3 Flash
When to use it
Use it for high-volume everyday tasks where speed and cost matter more than frontier reasoning.
Why it matters
This is the model you route routine work to so your strongest models stay focused on expensive thinking.
Best image generation model
GPT Image 2
When to use it
Use it for polished visual assets, realistic concepts, product imagery, and design inspiration.
Why it matters
Image generation is now practical enough to be part of normal strategy, sales, and product workflows.
Reusable workflows
A few patterns worth copying.
The best teams are not asking which model is smartest in the abstract. They are building repeatable workflows that put the right model in the right seat.
Code planning workflow
GPT-5.5 + Opus 4.6 backup + Grill Me
Use GPT-5.5 for the main plan, pull in Opus 4.6 as a second opinion when the decision is high leverage, then use a Grill Me pass to pressure-test assumptions before building.
Frontend generation chain
GPT Image 2 -> frontend skill -> Codex implementation
Generate the visual direction first, translate it into frontend rules and components, then let Codex implement against the actual codebase.
Model routing habit
Best model for the job, not the newest model by default
Use frontier models for judgment, planning, and risky work. Use fast workhorse models for repeatable summaries, drafts, extraction, and low-stakes transformations.
Copy-paste inspiration
Prompts your team can adapt.
Interview Me Before We Decide
Interview me about this decision until the tradeoffs are clear. Ask one question at a time. For each question, give your recommended answer first, then explain what my answer will help determine. Stop when we have a clear recommendation, open risks, and next steps.
A cleaner decision, fewer hidden assumptions, and a path forward the team can actually act on.
Find The Overlooked Call Insight
Analyze this call transcript. Summarize the discussion in five bullets, identify one overlooked insight the team may have missed, list the action items, assign each task to the most likely attendee, and flag any follow-up question that needs an executive decision.
A meeting recap that turns conversation into ownership, next steps, and one useful strategic observation.
Prepare A Decision Memo
Draft a one-page executive decision memo for this issue. Include the context, the decision we need to make, the strongest option, two alternatives, the tradeoffs, the risks of waiting, and the first three actions we should take if we approve it.
A boardroom-ready memo that compresses ambiguity into options, judgment, and action.
Apply this to your business
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