Claude Sonnet 4.5, GPT-4, Gemini — these are the AI models, the "brains" that generate text. The same model produces similar outputs regardless of where it runs (AWS, GCP, etc.), though LLMs are non-deterministic so you'll see some variation.
The tool (Copilot, Claude Code, Cursor) wraps the model and orchestrates how it's used.
Example: You ask, "Write a function that adds two numbers
Copilot might:
Each tool has its own orchestration layer with different:
Two tools using the same model can feel completely different because they're using different workflows, giving different context, and enabling different capabilities.
TL;DR: The model is the brain. The tool is the personality and hands that use that brain. Same model ≠ same experience.
A Note on Ethics and AI Use: Transparency is important. For this article, I used AI tools to augment my discussion and explore phrasing, as well as to assess SEO performance and readability. While AI helped refine ideas and highlight optimization opportunities, all insights, examples, and analysis are the product of my own experience and judgment. AI served as a support tool, not a replacement for critical thinking or human perspective.