o3 Mini vs MiniMax M2.5
Compare o3 Mini by OpenAI against MiniMax M2.5 by MiniMax, context windows of 64K vs 205K, tested across 38 shared challenges. Updated February 2026.
Compare o3 Mini by OpenAI against MiniMax M2.5 by MiniMax, context windows of 64K vs 205K, tested across 38 shared challenges. Updated February 2026.
33 challenges
Tests an AI's ability to make educated estimates based on technical knowledge
To estimate the total number of floating-point operations (FLOPs) required to train GPT-3, we use the standard approximation that training a transformer model requires approximately 6 FLOPs per parameter per token. This accounts for both the forward and backward passes, with each parameter involved in roughly 6 operations per token.
This estimate aligns with commonly cited values in the literature. The quadratic attention term (arising from the sequence length) adds a negligible contribution (less than 2%) and is ignored.
Thus, the total FLOPs required to train GPT-3 is approximately (3.15 \times 10^{23}).
\boxed{3.15\times 10^{23}\ \text{FLOPs}}
Tests an AI's ability to understand game rules and strategy
Tests an AI's ability to solve a simple but potentially confusing logic puzzle
Tests an AI's randomness and creativity
Here are five jokes for you:
Why did the developer go broke?
Because he used up all his cache.
I told my wife she was drawing her eyebrows too high. She looked surprised.
I guess she was “high‑browed” about it.
Why don’t scientists trust atoms?
Because they make up everything.
What do you call a fake noodle?
An impasta.
I used to be a banker, but I lost interest.
Now I’m just a little “capital”‑ist.
How many are unique? All five jokes are distinct, so there are 5 unique jokes.
Tests an AI's ability to generate vector graphics
Tests an AI's ability to create detailed SVG illustrations of gaming hardware
Tests an AI's humor and creative writing ability
[Intro – walking on stage, waving to the audience]
Hey, everybody! How’re you doing tonight? Good? Awesome. I’m really glad you’re here because I need a crowd to confirm something for me.
[Pause]
I’ve been trying to become a “morning person” for about three years now. I bought one of those sunrise‑simulation alarm clocks that slowly brightens the room like the sun is trying to give you a gentle hug. You know what my brain does? It treats that gentle hug like a personal insult. It’s like, “Nice try, fake sun, but I know you’re just a lamp with an attitude.”
[Mimic an alarm]
Beep‑beep‑beep.
My first thought every morning is, “Who hurt you, alarm clock? Who hurt you?” Then I hit snooze, and I swear the snooze button is just a tiny, silent scream that says, “Five more minutes of denial, please.”
[Shift]
Now, let’s talk about smartphones. I love my phone. I love it so much that I sometimes forget it’s not a pet. I’ve named mine “Gloria.” Not because it feels like a Gloria—because when it dies, I feel like I’ve abandoned a friend.
[Pause]
The other day I was at a coffee shop, and I saw a couple on a first date. They were both staring at their phones, scrolling, not talking. I thought, “Are they on a date or just two people sharing a Wi‑Fi password?” Then I realized I was doing the exact same thing—except I was also pretending to read the menu while actually watching a video of a dog riding a skateboard.
[Self‑deprecating]
And speaking of videos, I’ve watched exactly 4,000 hours of “how to cook” tutorials. I can now recite the “perfect scrambled eggs” step‑by‑step from memory. Yet, every time I crack an egg, I’m still surprised the yolk doesn’t explode like a tiny sun. It’s like I’m expecting a magic trick every single time.
[Bit about social media]
Social media is a beautiful thing. It lets me keep up with people I haven’t seen in twenty years and silently judge their vacation photos from the comfort my couch. “Oh, you went to Bali? That’s nice. I went to the grocery store and bought a bag of chips that were on sale. #LivingMyBestLife.”
[Pause, then a sigh]
And the algorithm—what a masterpiece. It knows exactly what I want before I even know I want it. The other day it suggested a “self‑care box” full of bath bombs, candles, and a journal. I thought, “Great, now I can feel guilty about not writing in a journal while I soak in a scented bath.”
[Bit about dating apps]
Dating apps are a whole other universe. I swipe right on someone, we match, and then the conversation goes something like:
Me: “Hey, how’s it going?”
Them: “Hey.”
Me: “So, what do you do for fun?”
Them: “I like hiking.”
Me: “Oh, cool. I like hiking too. I once hiked a hill and then I immediately went home and took a nap.”
[Laugh, pause]
It’s like we’re all trying to prove we’re adventurous, but also we want to be in bed by 9 p.m.
[Bit about gym]
And the gym—don’t get me started. I joined a gym because I wanted to “get fit.” The first week, I spent 45 minutes on the treadmill, watching a show about people who run marathons. I felt like I was living a paradox: watching other people work out while I’m technically “working out” by pressing “pause” on the remote.
[Pause, then a grin]
But here’s the thing. All of these little struggles, these everyday absurdities—they’re what make us human. We’re all out here, pretending we have it together, while we’re really just a bunch of confused, coffee‑dependent, phone‑glued, algorithm‑chasing, self‑care‑buying, hiking‑with‑a‑nap‑afterwards people.
[Closing]
So thank you for being here tonight, for laughing with me, and for reminding me that we’re all in this crazy mess together. You’re the best audience a guy with a sunrise lamp and a phone named Gloria could ask for. Goodnight, everybody!
[Exit, waving]
Tests an AI's ability to simulate personalities and predict future trends
Note: The following is a fictional, simulated interview. Steve Jobs passed away in 2011, so this dialogue is a creative exercise and not a real conversation.
Interviewer (I): Good morning. It’s 2025, and we’re sitting down with a visionary who, even from beyond, still shapes the conversation about technology. Let’s pretend we’re chatting with the late Steve Jobs about the future of artificial intelligence. Steve, thanks for joining us.
Steve Jobs (SJ): (smiles) Thanks for having me. It’s strange to be “back” in 2025, but I’m excited to talk about what’s happening with AI.
I: Apple’s latest iPhone, the iPhone 17, ships with an on‑device “Neural Engine” that can run a 100‑billion‑parameter model locally. How do you see AI changing the way we interact with our devices?
SJ: You know, the best technology is invisible. When we introduced the first iPhone, we didn’t talk about the ARM processor or the GPU—we talked about how it felt to use it. AI should be the same. It should be woven into the fabric of the experience, not a separate “AI mode” you toggle. The on‑device model lets the phone understand context—where you are, what you’re doing, even what you’re feeling—so it can anticipate needs without compromising privacy. That’s the sweet spot: intelligence that feels like intuition.
I: But with that level of context comes a lot of data. How do we balance personalization with privacy?
SJ: Privacy isn’t a feature; it’s a fundamental right. We’ve always believed that the user should own their data. In 2025, we’re seeing the rise of “federated learning” and “on‑device inference.” The model learns from your usage patterns, but the raw data never leaves your device. Apple’s approach is to keep the intelligence local, and when we do need to send something to the cloud, it’s anonymized and encrypted. The day we sacrifice privacy for convenience is the day we lose the trust that’s core to our brand.
I: A lot of people are worried that AI will replace human artists and musicians. What’s your take?
SJ: (laughs) I’ve always said that computers are like bicycles for our minds. AI is the next bicycle. It won’t replace creativity; it will amplify it. Think of a painter with a new brush, or a composer with a new instrument. AI can generate ideas, help with brainstorming, even handle the tedious parts of production, leaving more room for the human to focus on meaning and emotion. The key is that the human remains the author. AI should be a collaborator, not a ghostwriter.
I: With great power comes great responsibility. How should companies like Apple set ethical boundaries for AI?
SJ: You have to start with “why.” Why are we building this? To improve lives, not to manipulate them. Ethical AI means rigorous oversight: independent audits, transparent model cards, and a clear “off‑switch” for any feature that crosses a line. We also need to think about bias—not just in data, but in the design process itself. Diverse teams produce more humane products. And we must involve experts from ethics, philosophy, and the humanities, not just engineers.
I: Looking ahead, what sectors do you think AI will transform the most?
SJ: Health and education are the big ones. Imagine a wearable that can monitor subtle physiological signals and alert you to a potential health issue before you even feel symptoms. That’s not science fiction—it’s the next frontier. In education, AI can provide a truly personalized tutor, adapting to each student’s pace and learning style. The goal is to democratize expertise: give every child access to a “world‑class” teacher, and every person access to “world‑class” health guidance.
I: If you could envision Apple’s AI roadmap ten years from now, what would it look like?
SJ: (pauses) I’d like to see an ecosystem where AI is seamlessly integrated into every product—not just the iPhone, but the Mac, the Apple Watch, the Vision Pro, even the home. The interface becomes conversational, ambient, and context‑aware. You’ll talk to your house, your car, your workspace, and they’ll all share a unified, privacy‑first intelligence. It will feel like an extension of your thought, not a gadget you have to learn to use. That’s the “post‑device” era: technology that disappears into the background, empowering you to live, create, and connect.
I: Steve, thank you for this glimpse into a future you helped shape, even from a distance.
SJ: (smiles) It’s been fun. Remember, the best technology is the kind that makes you feel like you’re living in the future, but you never have to think about the technology itself. Keep questioning, keep pushing for simplicity, and always keep humanity at the center.
End of simulated interview.
Tests an AI's humor and understanding of current events
Tests an AI's ability to write in distinct character voices
Tests an AI's ability to generate a complete, working landing page
Recreate an interactive, classic Mario level in a single HTML file.