Top 5 AI Models for Professionals (Updated Weekly)

Ready-to-Use Models (No Setup Required)

Claude 3.5 Sonnet (Currently top)

• Access Here

• Great all-rounder

GPT-4o

• Access Here

• Voice understanding

Gemini 2.0

• Access Here

• First Agentic model from Google

Technical Setup Required (Open Source)

Phi 4.0

• Best Small Language Model (SML), Not yet publicly released

• Phi 3.5 available on Ollama

Llama 3.3

• Available on Ollama

• Best open source model (benchmarking against)

The GenAI Jumpstart course teaches you how to access open source models and customise proprietary models to your role and associated job tasks in Section 4 of the 10 Section.

The “ARIA” test: Your AI Capability & Automation Benchmark

As founder of Blackfeather ai, I've seen firsthand how difficult it is for organisations to understand exactly what GenAI can and can't do in professional settings. That's why we created ARIA - the Autonomous and Responsive Intelligence Assessment - a practical framework for measuring AI's current capabilities across specific tasks and industries.

What ARIA Really Measures

ARIA gives you two critical insights:

• The level of automation possible for specific professional tasks (from basic augmentation to full automation)

• How well GenAI models actually perform these tasks compared to human professionals

Real-World Examples

Here's how ARIA measures automation potential across different roles:

RoleTask ExampleWhat ARIA MeasuresCurrent AI CapabilityContent MarketerWriting blog postsLanguage quality, SEO optimisation, engagement metricsHigh automation potentialFinancial AnalystBuilding financial modelsAccuracy, complexity, edge case handlingAugmentation levelLegal AssistantContract reviewError detection, consistency, complex clause interpretationPartial automationSoftware DeveloperCode generationCode quality, bug rate, documentationTask-dependentExecutive AssistantEmail managementResponse accuracy, priority handling, tone matchingHigh automation potential

The Core Framework

ARIA uses five key thresholds to measure automation readiness:

ThresholdDescriptionWhy It MattersMirrorAbility to replicate human work patternsShows if AI can maintain quality standardsContinuityMaintaining context across interactionsEssential for complex, ongoing tasksAdaptationHandling unexpected situationsIndicates independence levelIntegrationWorking with systems and humansShows practical deployment readinessJudgementMaking complex decisionsMeasures automation potential

Industry-Specific Measurements

ARIA breaks down capabilities across 10 core domains, measuring specific tasks within each:

1. Content Creation & Media

   • Article writing

   • Social media management

   • Design asset creation

2. Research & Analysis

   • Market research

   • Data analysis

   • Trend forecasting

3. Financial Operations

   • Financial modeling

   • Risk assessment

   • Audit support

[Additional domains removed for brevity - expand as needed]

Automation vs Augmentation

ARIA helps you understand where AI is at these levels:

• Full Automation Ready: AI consistently outperforms humans

• High Augmentation: AI handles 70%+ of tasks with human oversight

• Partial Augmentation: AI assists but requires significant human input

• Human-Led: AI provides basic support only

Why This Matters For You

As a professional or business leader, ARIA helps you:

• Identify which tasks in your organisation are ready for AI automation

• Understand where AI can augment your team's capabilities

• Make data-driven decisions about AI adoption

• Track AI progress in your specific industry and role

Using ARIA

We're making ARIA freely available as an open standard. You can:

• Use our benchmarks to evaluate AI solutions for specific tasks

• Measure automation potential in your organisation

• Track AI capability improvements over time

• Make informed decisions about AI integration

Book a one-on-one consult to:

• Access detailed task-specific benchmarks

• Compare AI capabilities across different models

• Get regular updates on AI progress in your industry

At Blackfeather.ai, we're focused on helping organisations understand exactly where and how AI can add value to their operations. ARIA provides the clear metrics and benchmarks needed to make smart decisions about AI adoption and automation.

Kaitlyn Sapier
Founder, Blackfeather ai