Selecting AI Models
DesireCore supports connecting to multiple AI model providers (Providers), and you can switch models at any time during a conversation. Different models have different characteristics in capability, speed, and cost, and choosing the right model can give you a better experience.
Model Selector
The model selector is located in the action button group in the chat header area, displayed as a layers overlay icon.
Icon Color Meanings:
| Color | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Gray | Using default model, no manual override |
| Green | Model manually selected, and the model is available |
| Orange | Model manually selected, but the model is currently unavailable (provider disabled/removed, etc.) |
Click the icon to open the model selection dropdown panel.
Selecting a Model
Models in the dropdown panel are displayed grouped by provider (Provider):
- Use Default — Top option, restores the system default model (no manual specification)
- Provider Groups — Each provider name lists the models available from that provider
Each model entry displays:
- Model display name
- Service type label (such as chat, completion)
- Price information (if available)
Click any model to switch the model used for the current conversation. Selected status is indicated by a green dot.
Model selection is a session-level temporary override that does not affect other conversations or global default settings. It reverts to default after closing the conversation.
Model Unavailable Warning
If a previously selected model is unavailable for the following reasons, an orange warning bar appears at the top of the dropdown panel:
- Provider Disabled — The model's Provider is turned off in settings
- Provider Removed — The Provider has been deleted from the configuration
- Model Removed — The model has been removed from the Provider's available list
When a warning appears, it is recommended to reselect an available model or click "Use Default" to restore default settings.
API Key Not Configured
If a Provider has not configured an API Key, an orange prompt is displayed in the dropdown panel. Models from that Provider are still listed, but may not function properly. Go to "Settings > Compute Services" to configure the corresponding API Key.
Configuring Default Model
To modify the globally default model:
- Open "Settings" (gear icon in lower left)
- Go to "Compute Services" or through the "Compute" entry in the resource manager
- Set the default model for each service type in "AI Services > Default Mapping"
DesireCore's model configuration is stored locally. Your configured API Keys are securely stored through the system credential manager and are not uploaded to any third-party servers.
Model Selection Recommendations for Common Scenarios
| Scenario | Recommended Choice | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Daily Chat | Mid-scale models | Fast response, low cost |
| Complex Reasoning / Long Text Analysis | Flagship models (e.g., Claude Opus, GPT-4o) | Strong reasoning ability |
| Code Assistance | Code-optimized models (e.g., Claude Sonnet, DeepSeek Coder) | Outstanding programming ability |
| Quick Q&A | Lightweight models (e.g., Haiku, GPT-4o-mini) | Fast, suitable for simple tasks |
Next Steps
- Learn about Chat History functionality
- Check Managing Conversations to understand conversation organization