There are any number of reasons why a user may want to switch the model they are using for generation
- Different models may be more prone to hallucinations and errors, based on their training data and foundational prompt
- Newer models are more likely to contain updated references and more data points, leading to better outputs (but as a result, may come with a premium price)
- Commercially, they may not want to spend the money or tokens to use a newer model. Older models can be used to hone a prompt before it is applied to updated data
- Image generators appreciate the different aesthetics they can tap into with different models, much like someone may choose to listen to a specific album on vinyl for its aesthetic vibe despite the higher audio quality of digital recordings
- Some image generators allow remixing across models, capturing the aesthetics of one model, and then remixing it in a different model that might return more predictable results against their prompt
- For security reasons, users may avoid using certain models with delicate or proprietary data due to how the model provider handles this type of information
- Researchers, engineers, etc may want to move between models to compare results
Whatever the reason, giving users the ability to adjust the model they are prompting with has become a standardized pattern.
If you are working on an interface that allows for this setting to be changed, consider who should have that permission to change it. Companies may wish to restrict or enforce the use of certain models for compliance reasons.
Consider also that regulations related to AI are in flux. Be prepared for entire models to be restricted from use in certain geopolitlcal areas do to their policies.
