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Overview

A Model Channel is a stable identifier for a specific AI surface such as ChatGPT UI, Perplexity API, or Google AI Overview that stays constant as the underlying model is upgraded or replaced over time. Models change frequently (new versions, new names, API-only models becoming UI models), so filtering by model_id can cause historical data to fragment across several IDs. Filtering by model_channel_id gives you a continuous view of the same surface, regardless of which specific model was powering it on any given day.
Channels are identified by a stable vendor-index string such as openai-0 or perplexity-1. The human-readable description (for example, ChatGPT UI) is returned alongside each channel and may be updated over time.

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When to use a channel vs. a model

  • Use model_channel_id when you want a stable, long-term view of a surface across model upgrades.
  • Use model_id when you care about the specific model version that produced a response.
A single model may belong to multiple channels when the same underlying model powers more than one surface. To retrieve the list of available channels, use the List Model Channels endpoint.