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What is a reasoning model?
A reasoning model is an AI model that works through a problem step by step before it gives its final answer.
- Category Models
- Also called thinking model
- Updated 20 Oct 2026
Reasoning model, explained simply
Regular chatbots answer quickly. A reasoning model takes extra time to think, like showing your work on a math test.
This helps with hard problems such as math, puzzles, coding and planning. It can also make fewer silly mistakes.
The trade-off is that it is often slower and may cost more to use than a quick model.
On ITG Now, our AI models page and daily news stories note when a model is built for deeper reasoning.
Related terms
Chain of thoughtLLMInferenceBenchmarkAI model
Where you'll see it on ITG Now
Questions people ask about Reasoning model
Is a reasoning model smarter than a normal chatbot?
It is usually better at hard, multi-step problems. For simple questions a normal model is often enough.
Why is a reasoning model slower?
It spends extra time working through steps before it answers.