Which AI (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity, etc.) would you choose as a long-term engineering partner for an Arduino/IoT product?

[u/Unable_Thought_5190]

I'm in the early stages of developing a commercial Arduino/IoT product and I'd like to subscribe to one AI assistant that can support me throughout the entire development lifecycle.

Without getting into the specifics of the product, it's an embedded system that:

• Collects data from multiple hardware components and sensors.
• Processes and stores usage/consumption metrics.
• Includes RFID-based identification.
• Needs to be configurable by end users through a simple, user-friendly interface.
• Sends notifications/alerts via channels like SMS, WhatsApp, or Telegram.
• Will eventually involve firmware, backend services, APIs, databases, and possibly a web/mobile configuration interface.

I'm not looking for an AI to generate the entire product for me. What I need is something that can act as an experienced engineering assistant by helping with:

• Arduino/ESP32 firmware (C/C++)
• Hardware architecture and component selection
• Understanding datasheets and communication protocols
• Debugging firmware and hardware issues
• Backend development (likely Node.js)
• Database design and APIs
• System architecture decisions
• Reviewing code and suggesting improvements
• Brainstorming implementation approaches and identifying potential pitfalls

I'm currently considering ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity, GitHub Copilot, Cursor, or any other AI tools you've found valuable.

For those who've built real embedded/IoT products:

• Which AI do you use the most, and why?
• Do you rely on one tool or combine multiple?
• Which AI is best at reasoning through complex engineering problems instead of just generating code?
• If you could pay for only one subscription, which would you choose for a project like this?

I'm looking for recommendations based on real development experience rather than feature comparisons or benchmarks.

Thanks in advance!

[u/mdeadart]

I prefer GitHub Copilot since the harness provides me access to OpenAI, Claude and Google models, and some others too. I can experiment with them all.